Vocabulary ladder

The Count of Monte Cristo

Volume ONE, 3

3,915 words. Everyday vocabulary (band A) covers 59% of the text; the hard 8% is 114 entries — all of them below.

A 58.9% (499 types) B 6.2% (172 types) C 3.6% (123 entries) D 2.0% (67 entries) E 0.4% (17 entries) N 5.7% (30 entries)

Band B — common reading vocabulary

A sample of 24 of 172 — you will meet these often; they are explained only at the fullest help level.

Band C — recognition checklist

All 123 upper-intermediate words in this chapter. Tick the ones you know; the rest are explained at the fullest help level.

Band D — advanced (67 entries)

dead-leaf
of the colour of a fallen leaf
half-rising
rising part way
half-ruined
partly ruined
ill-luck
bad fortune
mother-country
the country one was born in
two-and-twenty
twenty-two
weather-worn
worn by weather
well-behaved
behaving well
well-turned
neatly shaped or neatly said
worm-eaten
eaten by woodworm
good-day
a greeting on meeting or parting
intermarrying
marrying between two families or peoples
good-hearted
kind
inconstancy
changeable, unfaithful ways
intermarry
to marry between two families or peoples
wretchedness
misery
inconstant
changing; fickle
shipowner
a man who owns ships
sisterly
like a sister
posada
an inn, in Spanish
deceiver
one who deceives
uneasiness
uncomfortable worry
subsisted
to keep alive on
insinuate
insinuating: hinting slyly
clenching
to close tight
hoarse
rough and husky of voice
imperious
commanding
foi
a small weakness
perspiration
sweat
allude
to hint at
promontory ×2
a bold headland thrust out into the sea
obstinate
stubborn
drunkard · drunkards ×2
one always drunk
hallo ×5
hello
hark
listen
hundredth
one part in a hundred
forlorn
hopeless and sad
muttered
to speak low in the throat
betrothed
promised in marriage
ascendant
rising in power
gazelle
a small graceful antelope
supple
bending with ease
ascendancy
controlling power
damsel
a young lady
heaved
heavens! — a cry of surprise
clenched ×2
closed tight
countenance ×3
the face; composure
murmured
to speak in a low soft flow
gulp
one big swallow
premeditated
to think out beforehand
refreshment
food and drink to restore
scrutinized
to examine closely
bestow
given as a gift
conscription
forced enlistment; the draft
vengeful
seeking revenge
bodes
to be a sign of what is coming
exclaimed ×3
to cry out
flax
a plant whose fibre makes linen
clasped ×2
to hold tight in the arms
nostrils
the openings of the nose
whence
from where
pang
a sharp stab of pain
shuddered
a shiver of horror
tenacity
a hard grip that will not let go
bah
explained by the text itself
groan ×2
to give a deep pained cry
relinquishing
to give up

Band E — rare & archaic (17 entries)

bandilleros
a man who plants darts in the bull at a bullfight
courtesied
courtesied: made the little bending bow of a lady
scrutinizingly
examining closely
piteously
in a way that calls for pity
coquetry
flirting charm
strewing
scattered over
wainscot
wooden boards lining the lower part of a wall
sufferance
grudging leave
whomsoever
whoever — the old form
vexation
annoyance; distress
stupefied
dazed
glisten
to shine wetly
besotted
besotted: made foolish
moistened
to make wet
varnished
covered with a hard shining coat
brutalized
to make cruel and beastlike
stammered
to speak with halting breaks

False friends — common words wearing old senses (1)

peculiar
its own; particular — the old sense here

Names (19)

arlesian
of Arles in southern France
calabrians
the people of southern Italy
catalane
a woman of the Catalan village near Marseilles
mercédès ×32
the Catalan girl Dantès is to marry
morgiou
a creek near Marseilles
dantès ×16
the young sailor this story follows
leclere
the captain of the Pharaon at the start of this story
caderousse ×27
a tailor of Marseilles, neighbour to the Dantès family
réserve
a tavern near Marseilles
pharaon ×5
the name of Morrel's ship
danglars ×25
the shipowner's clerk, later a rich banker
provençal
of Provence in southern France
sicilians
the people of Sicily
marseillaise
the French national song; also a woman of Marseilles
fernand ×53
the Catalan fisherman who loves Mercédès
catalans ×6
the fishing village of Catalans near Marseilles
edmond ×21
the first name of the young sailor this story follows
catalan ×9
of Catalonia in Spain; also the fishing village near Marseilles
Edmond Dantès
the young sailor this story begins with