The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

You Poor Child

(Lesson 1)

Total words 109 Video duration 16:15



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attic

floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
Image Description

I want to run up to the attic. I want to get a couple of things.
cake

baked goods made from or based on a mixture of flour, sugar, eggs, and fat
Image Description

You may give him a piece of cake, too.
candle

stick of wax with a wick in the middle
Image Description

There's a candle and matches on the table near the wall.
cat

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

You'd better, miss. You know how she feels about that cat.
chump

a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
Image Description

Don't rough her, you chump.
curtain

hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
Image Description

I'm afraid of the thunder and lightning. Draw the curtains! I'll go in to change.
day

some point or period in time
Image Description

My father says that some day you'll have everything in the world.
dirt

the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
Image Description

That I'm trying to wash the dirt and grime off you.
duty

work that you are obliged to perform for moral or legal reasons
Image Description

My father said it was my duty to tell them. Your father.
food

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
Image Description

I brought you food. For the kitten, too.
foundation

an institution supported by an endowment
Image Description

But I'm not a foundation, Mr. O'Neil.
front

the side that is forward or prominent
Image Description

Out of that front door, he left. See, it's open.
fur

a garment made of the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
Image Description

I'll take your furs, miss.
grime

the state of being covered with unclean things
Image Description

That I'm trying to wash the dirt and grime off you.
harvard

a university in Massachusetts
Image Description

I don't care whether Walter drives a truck or goes to Harvard.
ice cream

frozen dessert containing cream and sugar and flavoring
Image Description

Take the boy to the kitchen, Lynch. Give him some ice cream.
keyhole

the hole where a key is inserted
Image Description

Your aunt's got every cop in Iverstown peeping through keyholes.
kitten

young domestic cat
Image Description

I brought you food. For the kitten, too.
kitty

young domestic cat
Image Description

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty.
light

any device serving as a source of illumination
Image Description

The lights! What happened to the lights?
might

physical strength
Image Description

You run with all your might, and when you grab on, grab tight.
milk

a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings
Image Description

I thought she'd be hungry, so I sneaked the milk, too.
mill

machinery that processes materials by grinding or crushing
Image Description

Your father was a nobody, a mill hand.
news

information about recent and important events
Image Description

I have good news. Martha...
nobody

a person of no influence
Image Description

Your father was a nobody, a mill hand.
noise

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
Image Description

We heard a noise and we came down.
peep

the short weak cry of a young bird
Image Description

One peep out of you, and I'll break your nose.
piece

a separate part of a whole
Image Description

You may give him a piece of cake, too.
play

(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
Image Description

Your play.
policeman

a member of a police force
Image Description

A policeman came to my house this morning.
pupil

a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
Image Description

You've lost your pupil, Mr. O'Neil.
reform school

correctional institution for the detention and discipline and training of young or first offenders
Image Description

If he's caught here he'll be sent to reform school.
scholarship

financial aid provided to a student on the basis of academic merit
Image Description

A scholarship for Walter, that's why.
story

a piece of fiction that narrates a chain of related events
Image Description

And if we get caught, don't go making up any stories that I did.
table

a piece of furniture having a smooth flat top that is usually supported by one or more vertical legs
Image Description

There's a candle and matches on the table near the wall.
thing

an action
Image Description

The best thing he ever did for you was to die.
thing

a vaguely specified concern
Image Description

I didn't say a thing.
thing

an artifact
Image Description

I want to run up to the attic. I want to get a couple of things.
truck

an automotive vehicle suitable for hauling
Image Description

I don't care whether Walter drives a truck or goes to Harvard.
wall

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
Image Description

There's a candle and matches on the table near the wall.
wing

a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
Image Description

All right, kids. Unless you got wings, you're caught.
witch

a female sorcerer or magician
Image Description

Hurry, Sam, or that old witch will catch us.
break

become separated into pieces or fragments
Image Description

One peep out of you, and I'll break your nose.
bring back

bring back to the point of departure
Image Description

Each time you were brought back here. No matter how far you got you were brought back here.
button

fasten with buttons
Image Description

See, Walter, I told you they'd never catch him. Sam, button me up.
catch

succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase
Image Description

You'll never catch him! You'll never catch him!
catch

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
Image Description

Hurry, Sam, or that old witch will catch us.
change

change clothes; put on different clothes
Image Description

I'm afraid of the thunder and lightning. Draw the curtains! I'll go in to change.
dare

to be courageous enough to try or do something
Image Description

Shut up! Shut up! How dare you? Shut up!
deserve

be worthy or deserving
Image Description

Your aunt doesn't deserve such an attitude, Martha.
draw

cause to move by pulling
Image Description

I'm afraid of the thunder and lightning. Draw the curtains! I'll go in to change.
drive

operate or control a vehicle
Image Description

I don't care whether Walter drives a truck or goes to Harvard.
find

come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost
Image Description

You won't let them find me?
follow

to travel behind, go after, come after
Image Description

When it does, you just follow me.
get into

put clothing on one's body
Image Description

Go up to your room and get into some dry clothes.
go out

become extinguished
Image Description

They went out.
grab

take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of
Image Description

You run with all your might, and when you grab on, grab tight.
happen

happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance
Image Description

The lights! What happened to the lights?
have

serve oneself to, or consume regularly
Image Description

After you've had dinner, I want to have a talk with you.
leave

act or be so as to become in a specified state
Image Description

I'll leave the door open, so I can hear you.
lie

be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position
Image Description

And this... This was lying there, too.
look for

try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
Image Description

They looking for me?
mother

care for like a mother
Image Description

Your name is Ivers, the same as your mother's was, before she was stupid enough to marry...
offer

make available or accessible, provide or furnish
Image Description

I know why you offered to tutor Martha.
peep

look furtively
Image Description

Your aunt's got every cop in Iverstown peeping through keyholes.
pick up

take up by hand
Image Description

I picked it up.
put down

cause to come to the ground
Image Description

Put it down.
reward

act or give recompense in recognition of someone's behavior or actions
Image Description

The boy will be rewarded.
rough up

treat violently
Image Description

Don't rough her, you chump.
run

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
Image Description

You run with all your might, and when you grab on, grab tight.
see

go to see for professional or business reasons
Image Description

Mr. O'Neil to see you, ma'am.
send

cause to be directed or transmitted to another place
Image Description

If he's caught here he'll be sent to reform school.
show

indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
Image Description

Show him in.
shut

become closed
Image Description

Shut the door, quick.
shut up

refuse to talk or stop talking; fall silent
Image Description

Shut up and eat.
shut up

cause to be quiet or not talk
Image Description

Shut up! Shut up! How dare you? Shut up!
sneak

to go stealthily or furtively
Image Description

Lynch told me to sneak Bundles to you.
steal

take without the owner's consent
Image Description

Did you steal it?
think

use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments
Image Description

I thought she'd be hungry, so I sneaked the milk, too.
think over

reflect deeply on a subject
Image Description

I thought it over, Martha. It's better for you here.
tutor

be a tutor to someone; give individual instruction
Image Description

I know why you offered to tutor Martha.
wash

cleanse (one's body) with soap and water
Image Description

That I'm trying to wash the dirt and grime off you.
worry

be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy
Image Description

Don't you worry about me, Sam.
best

(superlative of `good') having the most positive qualities
Image Description

The best thing he ever did for you was to die.
bright

characterized by quickness and ease in learning
Image Description

Well, he's a good boy, and he's bright.
dry

free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
Image Description

Go up to your room and get into some dry clothes.
expected

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
Image Description

You are expected, miss.
foolish

devoid of good sense or judgment
Image Description

My father says you're foolish.
found

come upon unexpectedly or after searching
Image Description

Well, it was Walter who was really responsible for Martha being found.
fourth

coming next after the third and just before the fifth in position or time or degree or magnitude
Image Description

This is the fourth time you've tried to run away.
happy

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
Image Description

Probably be a lot happier driving a truck.
kind

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
Image Description

There are not very many women who would be as patient and as kind.
little

(of children and animals) young, immature
Image Description

And there aren't very many little girls who would be as ungrateful.
patient

enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance
Image Description

There are not very many women who would be as patient and as kind.
poor

deserving or inciting pity
Image Description

You poor child.
quiet

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
Image Description

Shh. Be quiet!
responsible

worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
Image Description

Well, it was Walter who was really responsible for Martha being found.
tight

closely constrained or constricted or constricting
Image Description

You run with all your might, and when you grab on, grab tight.
ungrateful

not feeling or showing gratitude
Image Description

And there aren't very many little girls who would be as ungrateful.
whole

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
Image Description

You don't own the whole world.
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