Being a Boy

Chapter II

By Charles Dudley Warner • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

IV.

NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

What the boy does is the life of the farm.

He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

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.

Chapter II Reading 1/30

Being a Boy

Chapter II

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

IV.

Line 2

NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

Line 3

What the boy does is the life of the farm.

Line 4

He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

Line 5

Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “What the boy does is the life of the farm.”

Nobody pronoun US /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading “He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.”

WITHOUT preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.”

All words in this reading · 51

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 NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

all

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

always

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

BOY

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

boys

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

demand

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

difficult

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading What the boy does is the life of the farm.

else

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

ends

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

expected

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

factotum

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

fall

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

farm

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

FARMING

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

general

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

grief

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

impression

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

indispensable

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

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

From this reading IV.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading What the boy does is the life of the farm.

most

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

NOdeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

odds

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

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

Say

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

soon

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

things

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

thousand

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

From this reading He is the factotum, always in demand, always expected to do the thousand indispensable things that nobody else will do.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Upon him fall all the odds and ends, the most difficult things.

usefulness

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

very

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

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

WITHOUTprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading NO FARMING WITHOUT A BOY Say what you will about the general usefulness of boys, it is my impression that a farm without a boy would very soon come to grief.