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The Turning of the Tide
The Turning of the Tide

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of The Turning of the Tide is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Turning of the Tide
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE YOUNG FLOOD.
Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.
"What is the matter, Frank?"
"I thought I was falling out of the tree.
I suppose I was dreaming."
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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 Turning of the Tide

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of The Turning of the Tide is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE YOUNG FLOOD.
/ðə jʌŋ flʌd/
Line 2
Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.
Line 3
"What is the matter, Frank?"
/wʌt ɪz ðə ˈmætər fræŋk/
Line 4
"I thought I was falling out of the tree.
/aɪ θɔːt aɪ wɑːz ˈfɑːlɪŋ aʊt ʌv ðə triː/
Line 5
I suppose I was dreaming."
/aɪ səˈpoʊz aɪ wɑːz ˈdriːmɪŋ/

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.

clasped verb US /klæspt/

past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly

From this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

dreaming noun US /ˈdriːmɪŋ/

imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake

From this reading “I suppose I was dreaming."”

falling adjective US /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading “"I thought I was falling out of the tree.”

flood noun US /flʌd/

the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading “THE YOUNG FLOOD.”

midnight noun US /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

physician noun US /fəˈzɪʃən/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

risen adjective US /ˈrɪzən/

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

spasmodically adverb US /spæzˈmɔːdɪkli/

with spasms

From this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

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.

three times noun + noun

by a factor of three

In this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

before midnight preposition + noun

In this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

around the neck preposition + article + noun counted as “around … neck”

In this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

great force adjective + noun

In this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

in bed preposition + noun

In this reading “Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.”

All words in this reading · 51

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.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

claspedverbUS /klæspt/

past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

convulsivelyadverb

with convulsions, in a convulsive way

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

dreamingnounUS /ˈdriːmɪŋ/

imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake

From this reading I suppose I was dreaming."

fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading "I thought I was falling out of the tree.

FLOODnounUS /flʌd/

the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading THE YOUNG FLOOD.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

FrankadjectiveUS /fræŋk/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I thought I was falling out of the tree.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "What is the matter, Frank?"

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading "What is the matter, Frank?"

midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

necknounUS /nek/

the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "I thought I was falling out of the tree.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "I thought I was falling out of the tree.

physiciannounUS /fəˈzɪʃən/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

RichadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

spasmodicallyadverbUS /spæzˈmɔːdɪkli/

with spasms

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading I suppose I was dreaming."

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE YOUNG FLOOD.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading "I thought I was falling out of the tree.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

treenounUS /triː/

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading "I thought I was falling out of the tree.

TwonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What is the matter, Frank?"

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Two or three times before midnight Frank started spasmodically, and once would have risen up in bed if Rich had not held him down; as it was, he clasped his physician convulsively around the neck with great force.

YOUNGadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading THE YOUNG FLOOD.

Chapter 20 of The Turning of the Tide by Elijah Kellogg holds 107 sentences, grouped into 22 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 20 of The Turning of the Tide contain?

Chapter 20 holds 107 sentences of The Turning of the Tide, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Turning of the Tide by Elijah Kellogg exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 107 sentences, grouped into 22 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 20 of The Turning of the Tide?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Turning of the Tide

Common questions about reading The Turning of the Tide by Elijah Kellogg on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Turning of the Tide?

Yes. All 2849 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54772 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Turning of the Tide is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #54772, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Turning of the Tide take to read?

About 237 minutes of reading across 570 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Turning of the Tide section by section

How to work through The Turning of the Tide section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of The Turning of the Tide 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 Turning of the Tide

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Turning of the Tide, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Turning of the Tide; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Flood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Turning of the Tide; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Turning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Turning of the Tide; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Turning of the Tide; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.