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A bad penny
A bad penny

Chapter II

Cover illustration for A bad penny
Context Illustration Reading 1/92 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.
“I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”
“Oh, James!” exclaimed Alice.
“Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!
He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.
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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.

A bad penny

Chapter II

Reading 1/92 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.
Line 2
“I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”
Line 3
“Oh, James!” exclaimed Alice.
Line 4
“Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!
Line 5
He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

Learner Dictionary

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

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Answered noun US /ˈanswered/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.”

Course noun US /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading ““I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.””

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

Alice

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

answerednounUS /ˈanswered/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

college

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

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

coursenounUS /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!

door

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

exclaimed

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

From this reading “Oh, James!” exclaimed Alice.

father

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

get

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

glad

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

go

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

induce

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!

jamb

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

James

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

minister

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

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

moment

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

Oh

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

From this reading “Oh, James!” exclaimed Alice.

sat

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

satisfaction

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

says

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

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

sea

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

see

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

then

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

From this reading He says that I must go to college and then be a minister.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

trying

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

wanted

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

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading James sat beside her upon the jamb of the door, and looked at her for a moment with great satisfaction.

wouldn't

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

From this reading “Of course he wouldn’t hear of it!

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “I am glad to see you again, Alice,” he answered; “I wanted to get here before, but I have been trying to induce my father to let me go to sea.”