Chapter 8 of Vicky Van is here in full — 271 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Vicky Van is here in full — 271 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door. What did it mean? Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in? Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself. I knew why she was there--to get her mail.
Chapter 8 of Vicky Van is here in full — 271 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading “THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.”
brought together in one place
From this reading “Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.”
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading “Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.”
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading “I knew why she was there--to get her mail.”
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading “THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.”
relating to human society and its members
From this reading “THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.”
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading “THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.”
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading “Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.”
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.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
brought together in one place
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What did it mean?
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I knew why she was there--to get her mail.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I knew why she was there--to get her mail.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What did it mean?
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I knew why she was there--to get her mail.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading I knew why she was there--to get her mail.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading What did it mean?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
relating to human society and its members
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SOCIAL SECRETARY I stood staring at the closed door.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I knew why she was there--to get her mail.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What did it mean?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading Then, as I collected my wits, I laughed at myself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why was Vicky in there and why wouldn't she let me come in?
Chapter 8 of Vicky Van by Carolyn Wells holds 271 sentences, grouped into 55 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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.
Chapter 8 holds 271 sentences of Vicky Van, unabridged, divided into 55 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Vicky Van by Carolyn Wells exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 271 sentences, grouped into 55 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.
Work through the 55 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 55 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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.
Common questions about reading Vicky Van by Carolyn Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4471 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6159 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6159, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 372 minutes of reading across 895 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Vicky Van section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Vicky Van to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Vicky Van, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
