Vocabulary ladder

The Count of Monte Cristo

Volume ONE, 5

5,559 words. Everyday vocabulary (band A) covers 57% of the text; the hard 7% is 167 entries — all of them below.

A 57.4% (701 types) B 7.2% (277 types) C 4.9% (214 entries) D 2.3% (99 entries) E 0.4% (20 entries) N 4.5% (48 entries)

Band B — common reading vocabulary

A sample of 24 of 277 — you will meet these often; they are explained only at the fullest help level.

Band C — recognition checklist

All 214 upper-intermediate words in this chapter. Tick the ones you know; the rest are explained at the fullest help level.

Band D — advanced (99 entries)

half-past
thirty minutes after the hour
noble-hearted
high minded and generous
quarter-past
fifteen minutes after
re-echoed
echoed back again
unperfect
not finished or not faultless
recopying
to copy again
becomingly
in a becoming way
gayly
merrily
supercargo ×2
an officer in charge of a ship's cargo
deathlike
like death
overspread
spread over
unavailing
unavailing: useless; helping nothing
custom-house
the office where duties on goods are collected
paleness
want of colour
doubtfully
with doubt
deaden
to dull
soldiery
soldiers taken together
repast ×2
a meal
unmixed ×2
pure
laughingly
with laughter
choicest
finest
clearness
clarity
tractable
easily managed
clanking
a harsh metallic rattle
shipowner ×4
a man who owns ships
redoubled
to double again; redoubling: greatly increasing
personage
a person of importance
foamy
like foam
wistfully
with sad longing
acquaint · acquainted ×2
to make known to
uneasiness
uncomfortable worry
creaked
to make a dry rubbing sound
festivity
joyful celebration
unceremoniously
without ceremony
abetted
abetting: helping in a crime
nuptial
of a wedding
rummaging
to search by turning things over
gratified
to please; satisfy
morsel
a small tasty piece
mirth ×3
laughter and good cheer
solidity
solid strength
reparation
making amends
hoarse
rough and husky of voice
resplendent
shining; splendid
perspiration
sweat
condescension
gracious stooping to lesser people
gleaning
to gather bit by bit
mournful
full of mourning
beseech
to beg earnestly
excitable
quick to be stirred up
hilarity ×2
loud laughing fun
tranquillity
untroubled calm
despatched
to send off; an official message
conveyance
a means of transport
abdication
the giving up of a throne
admittance
leave to enter
consternation
shocked dismay
effigy
an image of a person
stagger
to walk unsteadily
adieu ×3
goodbye, in French
spasm ×2
a sudden fit
clovis
an early king of the Franks
betrothed
the one promised in marriage
glistening
to shine wetly
topaz
a yellow gem
oppress
weighed down
instantaneously
in an instant
countenance ×5
the face; composure
incessantly
without stopping
gad
explained by the text itself
murmured ×2
to speak in a low soft flow
crumpled
crushed into wrinkles
divulged
divulged: made known
trifle
a thing of no importance
muttering
to speak low in the throat
prawns
a small shellfish eaten as food
lustre
a soft shine
deafening
loud enough to deafen
quelled
put down; crushed
garb
clothing
exclaimed ×3
to cry out
sympathizing
to share another's feeling
tumultuous
full of wild noise
dainty
fine and small
ghastly ×2
horrible; deathly pale
distort
to twist out of true shape
apprehension · apprehensions ×4
fear of what may come; understanding
exclamation
a cry of surprise or feeling
bewildered ×2
to confuse utterly
whence
from where
pang
a sharp stab of pain
groan · groaned ×2
to give a deep pained cry
intoxication
drunkenness; carried-away joy
inexplicable
impossible to explain
ere ×5
before — an old word
formalities
strict formal order
hitherto
up to now
delicacies
a choice fine food; fine sensitivity
agitation
troubled excitement

Band E — rare & archaic (20 entries)

frowningly
with a frown
ruby-tinted
touched with deep red
three-cornered
with three corners
echinus
a sea urchin; also a moulding on a column
affianced
promised in marriage
procureur
the public prosecutor, in French
supplicated
supplicated: begged humbly
remonstrance
a protest
epicures
a lover of fine things
felicitations
congratulations
effaced
to wipe away
cuirasses
a breastplate
trammels
held back; tied down
effectually ×2
with real effect
convulsive ×3
violently shaking
piquant
sharply interesting
accoutrements
outfit; dress and gear
vociferous
loud and insistent
ails
to be sick
betrothal
a promise of marriage

False friends — common words wearing old senses (8)

aspect
look; appearance — the old sense here
counsel
the lawyer who speaks in court — the old sense here
interest
the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here
peculiar
its own; particular — the old sense here
state
ceremony; pomp — the old sense here
touching
concerning — the old sense here
use
habit; custom — the old sense here
witness
consider as proof — the old sense here

Names (32)

allées ×2
walks, in French
arlesian
of Arles in southern France
arlesienne
a woman of Arles in southern France
meilhan ×2
a street of Marseilles
mercédès ×21
the Catalan girl Dantès is to marry
pastret
a French family name
policar
a French family name
dantès ×38
the young sailor this story follows
leclere
the captain of the Pharaon at the start of this story
caderousse ×26
a tailor of Marseilles, neighbour to the Dantès family
morrel ×21
the shipowner of Marseilles who employs Dantès
réserve ×3
a tavern near Marseilles
pharaon ×9
the name of Morrel's ship
danglars ×44
the shipowner's clerk, later a rich banker
bonapartist ×2
a supporter of Napoleon
villefort ×2
the young deputy prosecutor of Marseilles
chios
a Greek island
tuileries
a royal palace and garden in Paris
andalusian
of Andalusia in southern Spain
fernand ×24
the Catalan fisherman who loves Mercédès
elba ×2
the island where Napoleon was first sent
palais
palace, in French
edmond ×16
the first name of the young sailor this story follows
pascal
a French thinker who wrote on faith and doubt
luxembourg
a Paris palace and garden
cyprus
an island of the eastern Mediterranean, and a wine from it
alexandria
a great port of Egypt
napoleon
the French emperor and general
nicholas
a man's name; also a Russian emperor
Edmond Dantès
the young sailor this story begins with
Palais de Justice
the courts of law in Paris
Villefort
the deputy prosecutor of Marseilles