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Torchy
Torchy

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Torchy is here in full — 241 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Torchy
Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.
If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.
Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.
Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.
Maybe you don't know about Mildred.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Torchy

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Torchy is here in full — 241 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.
Line 2
If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.
Line 3
Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.
Line 4
Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.
Line 5
Maybe you don't know about Mildred.

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.

benzine noun US /ˈbenzin/

a colorless liquid hydrocarbon; highly flammable; carcinogenic; the simplest of the aromatic compounds

From this reading “Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.”

cinch noun US /sɪntʃ/

any undertaking that is easy to do

From this reading “If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.”

cleaners noun US /ˈkliːnərz/

shop where dry cleaning is done

From this reading “Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.”

garage noun US /ɡərˈɑːʒ/

an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles

From this reading “If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.”

goggles noun US /ˈɡɑːɡəlz/

(plural) tight-fitting spectacles worn to protect the eyes

From this reading “If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.”

surer adjective US /ˈʃʊrər/

comparative of “sure” — having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading “WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.”

tires noun US /ˈtaɪərz/

plural of “tire” — hoop that covers a wheel

From this reading “If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.”

wins noun US /wɪnz/

plural of “win” — a victory (as in a race or other competition)

From this reading “WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Maybe you don't know about Mildred.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

bein

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

benzinenounUS /ˈbenzin/

a colorless liquid hydrocarbon; highly flammable; carcinogenic; the simplest of the aromatic compounds

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

bubble's

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

capnounUS /kæp/

a tight-fitting headdress

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

chestnounUS /tʃest/

the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

cinchnounUS /sɪntʃ/

any undertaking that is easy to do

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

cleanersnounUS /ˈkliːnərz/

shop where dry cleaning is done

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

coatnounUS /koʊt/

an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

don't

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

From this reading Maybe you don't know about Mildred.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

emnounUS /em/

a quad with a square body

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/

being the right size and shape to fit as desired

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

folks'll

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

furnounUS /fɜːr/

the dressed hairy coat of a mammal

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

garagenounUS /ɡərˈɑːʒ/

an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

gogglesnounUS /ˈɡɑːɡəlz/

(plural) tight-fitting spectacles worn to protect the eyes

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

goin

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

From this reading Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

GOTverbUS /ɡɑːt/

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.

hundred-dollar

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading Maybe you don't know about Mildred.

LookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.

MaybeadverbUS /ˈmeɪbi/

by chance

From this reading Maybe you don't know about Mildred.

MILDRED

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

NEXTadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

nothin

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

puttin

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

rideverbUS /raɪd/

sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

smellnounUS /smel/

the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

suitverbUS /suːt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

sureradjectiveUS /ˈʃʊrər/

comparative of “sure” — having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

There's

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

throwverbUS /θroʊ/

propel through the air

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

tiresnounUS /ˈtaɪərz/

plural of “tire” — hoop that covers a wheel

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

transferverbUS /trænˈsfɜːr/

transfer somebody to a different position or location of work

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Look at the way Mildred has us goin'.

WHEREconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Why, just the smell of benzine on a suit you've had out to the cleaners will give 'em the dream, if you throw your chest out right.

winsnounUS /wɪnz/

plural of “win” — a victory (as in a race or other competition)

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading WHERE MILDRED GOT NEXT There's nothin' wins out surer in this town of New York than puttin' up a good front.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

you've

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

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you've got the fur coat and the goggles on your cap, you can walk or ride on a transfer, and folks'll take it as a cinch that your bubble's back in the garage bein' fitted with a new set of hundred-dollar tires.

Chapter 5 of Torchy by Sewell Ford holds 241 sentences, grouped into 49 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 5 of Torchy contain?

Chapter 5 holds 241 sentences of Torchy, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Torchy by Sewell Ford exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 241 sentences, grouped into 49 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 5 of Torchy?

Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 49 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Torchy

Common questions about reading Torchy by Sewell Ford on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Torchy?

Yes. All 4899 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20626 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Torchy is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20626, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Torchy take to read?

About 408 minutes of reading across 980 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Torchy section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of Torchy 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 Torchy

Words and structures a reader meets early in Torchy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Carryin'
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Torchy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Banner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Torchy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ain't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Torchy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Callouses
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Torchy; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.