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Writing for Vaudeville
Writing for Vaudeville

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Writing for Vaudeville
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.
Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.
The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.
He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.
Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.
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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.

Writing for Vaudeville

Chapter I

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.
Line 2
Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.
Line 3
The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.
Line 4
He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.
Line 5
Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.”

Course noun US /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.”

Name noun US /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.”

Struck noun US /struck/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.”

Throughout preposition US /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading “He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.”

All words in this reading · 84

Every word is available to listen to. 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 A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

achieved

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

Bassel

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

Bassel's

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

Basselin

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

bears

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

brain

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

century

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

certain

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

child

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

clearer

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

composed

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

country

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

coursenounUS /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

crop

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

descendant

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

family

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

fancy

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

fifteenth

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

fourteenth

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

France

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

French

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

grandparent

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

houses

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

imitators

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

like

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

line

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

lived

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

many

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

namenounUS /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

Oliver

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

Olivier

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

only

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

own

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

poet

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

popular

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

raised

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

relationship

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

remote

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

reputation

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

resemblance

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

royal

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

said

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

sang

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

songs

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

soon

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

sprightly

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

strucknounUS /struck/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

success

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

throughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

to-day

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

town

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

trees

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

unbroken

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

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.

usual

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

Valley

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

vaudeville's

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

Vire

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

way

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He composed and sang certain sprightly songs which struck the popular fancy and achieved a reputation not only in his own town but throughout the country.

whistled

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

whole

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

From this reading Bassel's success raised the usual crop of imitators and soon a whole family of songs like his were being whistled in France.

workman

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

From this reading A French workman who lived in the Valley of the Vire in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, is said to be vaudeville's grandparent.

workman's

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

From this reading The French workman's name was Oliver Bassel, or Olivier Basselin, and in his way he was a poet.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Of course, the child of his brain bears not even a remote resemblance to its descendant of to-day, yet the line is unbroken and the relationship clearer than many of the family trees of the royal houses.