Verse and Worse

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Verse and Worse is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Harry Graham • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

Narrator

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.

Verse and Worse Harry Graham

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Verse and Worse is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC. LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W. THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York. 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively. 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

Verse and Worse

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Verse and Worse is here in full — 34 sentences across 7 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

Line 2

LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

Line 3

THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

Line 4

'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

Line 5

'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

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.

baedeker noun US /ˈbeɪdəkər/

German publisher of a series of travel guidebooks (1801-1859)

From this reading “THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.”

Bluebeard noun US /ˈbluːbiːrd/

(fairytale) a monstrous villain who marries seven women; he kills the first six for disobedience

From this reading “'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.”

boer noun US /bɔːr/

a white native of Cape Province who is a descendant of Dutch settlers and who speaks Afrikaans

From this reading “AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.”

fiscal adjective US /ˈfɪskəl/

involving financial matters

From this reading “AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.”

perverted adjective US /pərˈvɜːrtɪd/

(used of sexual behavior) showing or appealing to bizarre or deviant tastes

From this reading “THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.”

Ping-pong noun US /ˈpɪŋpɔːŋ/

a game (trademark Ping-Pong) resembling tennis but played on a table with paddles and a light hollow ball

From this reading “'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.”

proverbs noun US /ˈprɑːvərbz/

an Old Testament book consisting of proverbs from various Israeli sages (including Solomon)

From this reading “THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.”

Russell's noun US /ˈrʌsəlz/

possessive form of “russell” — United States religious leader who founded the sect that is now called Jehovah's Witnesses (1852-1916)

From this reading “'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.”

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.

appeared in verb + particle counted as “appear in”

In this reading “'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.”

All words in this reading · 70

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.

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

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

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

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

ARNOLDnounUS /ˈɑːrnəld/

English poet and literary critic (1822-1888)

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

AuntnounUS /ænt/

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

BABY'SnounUS /ˈbeɪbiz/

possessive form of “baby” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

BAEDEKERnounUS /ˈbeɪdəkər/

German publisher of a series of travel guidebooks (1801-1859)

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

BalladnounUS /ˈbæləd/

a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

BALLADSnounUS /ˈbælədz/

plural of “ballad” — a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

BillnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

BluebeardnounUS /ˈbluːbiːrd/

(fairytale) a monstrous villain who marries seven women; he kills the first six for disobedience

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

BOERnounUS /bɔːr/

a white native of Cape Province who is a descendant of Dutch settlers and who speaks Afrikaans

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

BONDnounUS /bɑːnd/

an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

BrokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

Bros

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

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

CatnounUS /kæt/

feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

CenturynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

Cleek

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

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

editionnounUS /əˈdɪʃən/

the form in which a text (especially a printed book) is published

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

EDWARDnounUS /ˈedwərd/

King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

Eliza

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

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

ETC

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

FISCALadjectiveUS /ˈfɪskəl/

involving financial matters

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

GolfnounUS /ɡɑːlf/

a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

HnounUS /eɪtʃ/

a nonmetallic univalent element that is normally a colorless and odorless highly flammable diatomic gas; the simplest and lightest and most abundant element in the universe

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

HarpernounUS /ˈhɑːrpər/

someone who plays the harp

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

HEARTLESSadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrtləs/

lacking in feeling or pity or warmth

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

HOMESnounUS /hoʊmz/

plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

includedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdəd/

enclosed in the same envelope or package

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

Joe

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

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

LONDONnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

MADDOX

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

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

MagazinenounUS /ˈmæɡəziːn/

a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

MENnounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

Messrs

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

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

MISREPRESENTATIVE

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

OutlooknounUS /ˈaʊtlʊk/

a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

PERVERTEDadjectiveUS /pərˈvɜːrtɪd/

(used of sexual behavior) showing or appealing to bizarre or deviant tastes

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

Ping-pongnounUS /ˈpɪŋpɔːŋ/

a game (trademark Ping-Pong) resembling tennis but played on a table with paddles and a light hollow ball

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

PlacenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

PROVERBSnounUS /ˈprɑːvərbz/

an Old Testament book consisting of proverbs from various Israeli sages (including Solomon)

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

respectivelyadverbUS /rɪˈspektɪvli/

in the order given

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

RHYMESnounUS /raɪmz/

plural of “rhyme” — correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines (especially final sounds)

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

RussellnounUS /ˈrʌsəl/

United States religious leader who founded the sect that is now called Jehovah's Witnesses (1852-1916)

From this reading THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

Russell'snounUS /ˈrʌsəlz/

possessive form of “russell” — United States religious leader who founded the sect that is now called Jehovah's Witnesses (1852-1916)

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

RUTHLESSadjectiveUS /ˈruːθləs/

without mercy or pity

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

STREETnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

UnclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

WnounUS /ˈdʌbəljuː/

a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite

From this reading LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, BOND STREET, W.

WARnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading AUTHOR OF 'BALLADS OF THE BOER WAR,' 'RUTHLESS RHYMES FOR HEARTLESS HOMES,' 'MISREPRESENTATIVE MEN,' 'FISCAL BALLADS,' ETC., ETC.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading 'Uncle Joe,' 'Aunt Eliza,' 'John,' 'The Cat,' and 'Bluebeard,' were included in Mr. Russell's American edition of _Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes_.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading 'The Ballad of Ping-pong,' 'Bill,' and 'The Place where the Old Cleek Broke,' have appeared in _The Century Magazine_, _The Outlook_, and _Golf_ respectively.

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 THE BABY'S BAEDEKER and PERVERTED PROVERBS have been published in America by Mr. R. H. Russell and Messrs. Harper Bros. of New York.

Chapter 1 of Verse and Worse by Harry Graham holds 34 sentences, grouped into 7 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 1 of Verse and Worse contain?

Chapter 1 holds 34 sentences of Verse and Worse, unabridged, divided into 7 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Verse and Worse by Harry Graham exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 34 sentences, grouped into 7 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 1 of Verse and Worse?

Work through the 7 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 7 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

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Yes. All 1064 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36702 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Verse and Worse is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36702, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Verse and Worse take to read?

About 88 minutes of reading across 213 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Verse and Worse

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

Author: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Verse and Worse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
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Ruthless: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Verse and Worse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
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Chapter I

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Vocabulary met early in Verse and Worse