Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A Far Country — Complete
A Far Country — Complete

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of A Far Country — Complete is here in full — 3243 sentences across 649 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Far Country — Complete
Context Illustration Reading 1/648 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
X.
This was not my first visit to the state capital.
Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.
Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.
Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.
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 Far Country — Complete

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of A Far Country — Complete is here in full — 3243 sentences across 649 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/648 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
X.
/eks/
Line 2
This was not my first visit to the state capital.
/ðɪs wɑːz nɑːt maɪ fɜːrst ˈvɪzɪt tuː ðə steɪt ˈkæpətəl/
Line 3
Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.
/ˌɪnˈdiːd sʌm ʌv ðæt ˈrekəndaɪt ˈnɑːlədʒ ɪn wɪtʃ aɪ tʊk ə praɪd hæd bɪn ɡeɪnd ɑːn ðə əˈkeɪʒənz ʌv maɪ ˈpriːviəs ˈvɪzɪts/
Line 4
Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.
/ˈraɪzɪŋ ənd ˈdresɪŋ ˈɜːrli aɪ biˈheld aʊt ʌv ðə kɑːr ˈwɪndoʊ ðə brɔːd ˈʃæloʊ ˈrɪvər ˈɡlɪntɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ˈsʌnlaɪt ðə doʊm ʌv ðə steɪt haʊs əˈɡenst ðə bluː ʌv ðə skaɪ/
Line 5
Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

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.

astute adjective US /əˈstuːt/

marked by practical hardheaded intelligence

From this reading “Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.”

farms noun US /fɑːrmz/

plural of “farm” — workplace consisting of farm buildings and cultivated land as a unit

From this reading “Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.”

glinting adjective US /ˈɡlɪntɪŋ/

having brief brilliant points or flashes of light

From this reading “Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.”

indefinable adjective US /ˌɪndɪˈfaɪnəbəl/

not capable of being precisely or readily described; not easily put into words

From this reading “Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.”

lobby noun US /ˈlɑːbi/

a large entrance or reception room or area

From this reading “Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.”

manipulated verb US /məˈnɪpjəleɪtɪd/

past form of “manipulate” — influence or control shrewdly or deviously

From this reading “Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.”

recondite adjective US /ˈrekəndaɪt/

difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

From this reading “Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.”

votes noun US /voʊts/

plural of “vote” — a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative

From this reading “Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.”

All words in this reading · 101

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

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 Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

amongstprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋst/

surrounded by; in the company of

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

astuteadjectiveUS /əˈstuːt/

marked by practical hardheaded intelligence

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

beheldverbUS /biˈheld/

inflected form of “behold” — see with attention

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

blueadjectiveUS /bluː/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

boreverbUS /bɔːr/

cause to be bored

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

cadaverousadjective

very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

capitalnounUS /ˈkæpətəl/

assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/

plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

colouredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/

having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

countrymennounUS /ˈkʌntrimɪn/

plural of “countryman” — a man from your own country

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

cuspidors

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

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

domenounUS /doʊm/

a concave shape whose distinguishing characteristic is that the concavity faces downward

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/

savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

farmsnounUS /fɑːrmz/

plural of “farm” — workplace consisting of farm buildings and cultivated land as a unit

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

fatadjectiveUS /fæt/

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

gailyadverbUS /ˈɡeɪli/

in a gay manner

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

gainedverbUS /ɡeɪnd/

past form of “gain” — obtain

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

GermannounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmən/

a person of German nationality

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

glintingadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪntɪŋ/

having brief brilliant points or flashes of light

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

groupsnounUS /ɡruːps/

plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

heavy-jawed

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

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

indefinableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈfaɪnəbəl/

not capable of being precisely or readily described; not easily put into words

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

IrishnounUS /ˈaɪrɪʃ/

people of Ireland or of Irish extraction

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

knowledgenounUS /ˈnɑːlədʒ/

the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

lawsnounUS /lɔːz/

the first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Hebrew Bible considered as a unit

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

lobbynounUS /ˈlɑːbi/

a large entrance or reception room or area

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

manipulatedverbUS /məˈnɪpjəleɪtɪd/

past form of “manipulate” — influence or control shrewdly or deviously

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

marblenounUS /ˈmɑːrbəl/

a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

mingledverbUS /ˈmɪŋɡəld/

past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

moon-facedadjective

having a round face

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

occasionsnounUS /əˈkeɪʒənz/

something you have to do

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

Potts

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

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

previousadjectiveUS /ˈpriːviəs/

just preceding something else in time or order

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

pridenounUS /praɪd/

a feeling of self-respect and personal worth

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

protectedadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪd/

kept safe or defended from danger or injury or loss

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

reachverbUS /riːtʃ/

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

reconditeadjectiveUS /ˈrekəndaɪt/

difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

RisingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

scatteredadjectiveUS /ˈskætərd/

occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/

lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

stampverbUS /stæmp/

walk heavily

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

sunlightnounUS /ˈsʌnlaɪt/

the rays of the sun

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

villagesnounUS /ˈvɪlədʒəz/

plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

visitsnounUS /ˈvɪzɪts/

plural of “visit” — the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

votesnounUS /voʊts/

plural of “vote” — a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This was not my first visit to the state capital.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Indeed, some of that recondite knowledge, in which I took a pride, had been gained on the occasions of my previous visits.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading Rising and dressing early, I beheld out of the car window the broad, shallow river glinting in the morning sunlight, the dome of the state house against the blue of the sky.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

workersnounUS /ˈwɜːrkərz/

plural of “worker” — a person who works at a specific occupation

From this reading Even at that early hour groups of the gentlemen who made our laws were scattered about the lobby of the Potts House, standing or seated within easy reach of the gaily coloured cuspidors that protected the marble floor: heavy-jawed workers from the cities mingled with moon-faced but astute countrymen who manipulated votes amongst farms and villages; fat or cadaverous, Irish, German or American, all bore in common a certain indefinable stamp.

XnounUS /eks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading X.

Chapter 2 of A Far Country — Complete by Winston Churchill holds 3243 sentences, grouped into 649 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 2 of A Far Country — Complete contain?

Chapter 2 holds 3243 sentences of A Far Country — Complete, unabridged, divided into 649 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of A Far Country — Complete by Winston Churchill exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 3243 sentences, grouped into 649 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 2 of A Far Country — Complete?

Work through the 649 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 649 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Far Country — Complete

Common questions about reading A Far Country — Complete by Winston Churchill on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Far Country — Complete?

Yes. All 9935 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3739 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Far Country — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3739, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Far Country — Complete take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1987 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Far Country — Complete section by section

How to work through A Far Country — Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 3 chapters of A Far Country — Complete 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 Far Country — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Far Country — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Paret
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Far Country — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Corporation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Far Country — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lawyer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Far Country — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Means
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Far Country — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.