Vocabulary ladder

A Tale of Two Cities

Book The First--Recalled to Life, II

2,053 words. Everyday vocabulary (band A) covers 61% of the text; the hard 8% is 102 entries — all of them below.

A 61.0% (362 types) B 5.2% (70 types) C 4.2% (65 entries) D 3.0% (51 entries) E 1.4% (23 entries) N 3.3% (28 entries)

Band B — common reading vocabulary

A sample of 24 of 70 — you will meet these often; they are explained only at the fullest help level.

Band C — recognition checklist

All 65 upper-intermediate words in this chapter. Tick the ones you know; the rest are explained at the fullest help level.

Band D — advanced (51 entries)

arm-chest ×2
a chest for holding weapons
coach-door ×2
the door of the coach
coach-lamp
a lamp fixed to a coach
coach-lamps ×2
lamps fixed to a coach
coach-step
the step by which one climbs into a coach
distrustfully
with distrust
fellow-passengers
those travelling with us
footpace
a walking pace
horse-pistols
large pistols carried on horseback
posting-house
an inn where fresh horses were kept for travellers
seventy-five
explained by the text itself
so-ho-then
a call used to quiet a horse
eddying
swirling in circles
overspread
spread over
jack-boots ×2
heavy boots reaching above the knee
ale-house
a house where beer is sold
tinder-box
a box holding what is needed to strike a light
fore-legs
the front legs of an animal
unwholesome
unhealthy
highwayman
a mounted robber of the roads
capitulated
capitulated: made terms for surrender
ejaculated
to burst out suddenly in words
plodding
to walk on slowly and heavily
cutlass
a short curved sword used by sailors
drooping
to hang down limply
non-descript
of no particular kind
hoarse
rough and husky of voice
genial
warm and kindly
pretence
a false show
mire
deep sinking bog
hallo ×3
hello
reek
to be full of strong fumes
bridle
a horse's head straps
floundering ×2
struggling and stumbling
wouldn
would — wouldn't: would not
gruff
rough and deep of voice
vexed
annoyed
quickened
to grow faster
retorted
to answer back sharply
yonder
over there; the world beyond
apprehend
to grasp; understand
consequent
following as a result
gallop ×3
to ride at a horse's fastest pace
hoofs
a horse's horny foot
holsters
a leather case for a pistol
emphatic ×3
forceful and insistent
watchful
keeping careful watch
tolerable
bearable; fairly good
hurried
rushed
stooped
to bend down
agitation
troubled excitement

Band E — rare & archaic (23 entries)

adjuration
a solemn charge or appeal
forlornness
lonely misery
hat-brim
the brim of a hat
heavily-splashed
much marked with splashes
hoarser
more hoarse
hoarsest
with the roughest voice
hardihood
bold toughness
yourn
yours, said in dialect
endued
endued: gifted with
selle
sellers of theater programs
quavering
a trembling of the voice
hoarsely
in a rough, husky voice
tremulous ×2
trembling
blunderbuss ×4
a short gun with a wide mouth
likeliest
more likely; more promising
curtly
shortly and bluntly
nimbly
quickly and lightly
substratum
an underlying layer
mutinous
rising against command; rebellious
tst ×2
explained by the text itself
soliloquy
talking to oneself
clammy
damp and cold
expeditiously
quickly and without waste

False friends — common words wearing old senses (2)

relish
eager enjoyment — the old sense here
state
ceremony; pomp — the old sense here

Names (9)

tellson ×2
the London bank at the heart of this story
blackheath
a heath south of London, known for highwaymen
lorry ×4
a man of business at Tellson's Bank
jarvis
the first name of the man of business at Tellson's
jerry ×11
the first name of the odd job man at Tellson's
lead
to go in front and guide
Mr Lorry
the man of business at Tellson's Bank
Tellson's Bank
the old London bank at the heart of this story
Temple Bar
the old gateway between the City of London and Westminster