Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Cruise in the Sky
A Cruise in the Sky

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of A Cruise in the Sky is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Cruise in the Sky
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.
It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.
We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.
I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”
The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

A Cruise in the Sky

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of A Cruise in the Sky is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.
Line 2
It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.
/ɪt wɑːz əˈɡriːd ðæt ɔːl ʃʊd stɑːrt fɔːr ðə leɪt hoʊm ʌv ðə bɔɪz ɪkˈsentrɪk ˈʌŋkəl æz suːn æz ˈmɪsɪz ˈændərsənz ˈmɔːrnɪŋ wɜːrk wɑːz dʌn/
Line 3
We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.
Line 4
I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”
Line 5
The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

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

admonition noun US /ˌædməˈnɪʃən/

cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)

From this reading “THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.”

Anderson's noun US /ˈændərsənz/

possessive form of “anderson” — United States author whose works were frequently autobiographical (1876-1941)

boathouse noun US /ˈboʊtˈhaʊs/

a shed at the edge of a river or lake; used to store boats

From this reading “The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.”

eccentric adjective US /ɪkˈsentrɪk/

conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual

From this reading “It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.”

mindful adjective US /ˈmaɪndfəl/

bearing in mind; attentive to

From this reading “THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.”

propellers noun US /prəˈpelərz/

plural of “propeller” — a mechanical device that rotates to push against air or water

From this reading “The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.”

sequel noun US /ˈsiːkwəl/

something that follows something else

From this reading “THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.”

tow noun US /toʊ/

the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope

From this reading ““I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.””

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

busy brain verb + noun

In this reading “THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.”

little boats adjective + noun counted as “little boat”

In this reading ““We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.”

start for verb + particle

In this reading “It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.”

All words in this reading · 72

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

admonitionnounUS /ˌædməˈnɪʃən/

cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

AERO-CATAMARAN

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

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

agreedadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːd/

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

Anderson'snounUS /ˈændərsənz/

possessive form of “anderson” — United States author whose works were frequently autobiographical (1876-1941)

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

Andy

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

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

Andy's

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

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

baggagenounUS /ˈbæɡədʒ/

cases used to carry belongings when traveling

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

boathousenounUS /ˈboʊtˈhaʊs/

a shed at the edge of a river or lake; used to store boats

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

boatsnounUS /boʊts/

plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/

possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

captainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

cargonounUS /ˈkɑːrɡoʊ/

goods carried by a large vehicle

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

eccentricadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsentrɪk/

conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

enginenounUS /ˈendʒən/

motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

enthusiasmnounUS /ɪnˈθuːziæzəm/

a feeling of excitement

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/

past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

generousadjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəs/

willing to give and share unstintingly

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

I'll

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

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

managedverbUS /ˈmænədʒd/

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

mindfuladjectiveUS /ˈmaɪndfəl/

bearing in mind; attentive to

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/

possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

propellersnounUS /prəˈpelərz/

plural of “propeller” — a mechanical device that rotates to push against air or water

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

restrainedadjectiveUS /riˈstreɪnd/

cool and formal in manner

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

SEQUELnounUS /ˈsiːkwəl/

something that follows something else

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

thinkingnounUS /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The moment breakfast was over Andy managed to get the captain into the boathouse again that he might see the propellers――for he was still thinking.

townounUS /toʊ/

the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

unclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

We'll

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

From this reading “We’ll use both the little boats,” explained the generous captain.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “I’ll take the ladies in one, and we’ll tow the other one with Andy and the baggage for cargo.”

wonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading THE SEQUEL OF THE AERO-CATAMARAN Andy’s busy brain was full of the aero-catamaran and the wonderful engine, but, mindful of his mother’s admonition, he restrained his enthusiasm.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading It was agreed that all should start for the late home of the boy’s eccentric uncle as soon as Mrs. Anderson’s morning work was done.

Chapter 4 of A Cruise in the Sky by H. L. (Harry Lincoln) Sayler holds 168 sentences, grouped into 34 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 4 of A Cruise in the Sky contain?

Chapter 4 holds 168 sentences of A Cruise in the Sky, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of A Cruise in the Sky by H. L. (Harry Lincoln) Sayler exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 168 sentences, grouped into 34 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 4 of A Cruise in the Sky?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Cruise in the Sky

Common questions about reading A Cruise in the Sky by H. L. (Harry Lincoln) Sayler on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Cruise in the Sky?

Yes. All 2781 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #57882 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Cruise in the Sky is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #57882, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Cruise in the Sky take to read?

About 231 minutes of reading across 557 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Cruise in the Sky section by section

How to work through A Cruise in the Sky section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of A Cruise in the Sky to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Cruise in the Sky

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Cruise in the Sky, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Florida
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Cruise in the Sky; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Metropolis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Cruise in the Sky; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Afternoon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Cruise in the Sky; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Train
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Cruise in the Sky; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.