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A Horse's Tale
A Horse's Tale

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of A Horse's Tale is here in full — 197 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Horse's Tale
Context Illustration Reading 1/39 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?
Well, I can.
Like the Don! like Sancho!
This is the correct Andalusian dawn nowcrisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?
Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”
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 Horse's Tale

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of A Horse's Tale is here in full — 197 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?
/kæn spiːk wɪð əˈθɔːrəti fɔːr ðæt pætʃ ʌv ˈperədaɪs/
Line 2
Well, I can.
/wel aɪ kæn/
Line 3
Like the Don! like Sancho!
Line 4
This is the correct Andalusian dawn nowcrisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?
Line 5
Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

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.

Andalusian adjective US /ˌændəˈluːʃən/

in or relating to Andalusia

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

breezes noun US /ˈbriːzɪz/

plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

dewy adjective US /ˈduːi/

wet with dew

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

praising adjective US /ˈpreɪzɪŋ/

full of or giving praise

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

pungent adjective US /ˈpʌndʒənt/

strong and sharp

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

Rockies noun US /ˈrɑːkiz/

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading “Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?””

scout noun US /skaʊt/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

spicy adjective US /ˈspaɪsi/

producing a burning sensation on the taste nerves

From this reading “This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?”

All words in this reading · 66

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 This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

AndalusianadjectiveUS /ˌændəˈluːʃən/

in or relating to Andalusia

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

Antonio

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

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

authoritynounUS /əˈθɔːrəti/

the power or right to give orders or make decisions

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

BlowverbUS /bloʊ/

exhale hard

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

breezesnounUS /ˈbriːzɪz/

plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

Canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

can't

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

Ceylon's

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

correctverbUS /kərˈekt/

make right or correct

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

cownounUS /kaʊ/

female of domestic cattle: "“moo-cow” is a child's term"

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

dawnnounUS /dɔːn/

the first light of day

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

dewyadjectiveUS /ˈduːi/

wet with dew

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

DonnounUS /dɑːn/

a Spanish gentleman or nobleman

From this reading Like the Don! like Sancho!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

fragrantadjectiveUS /ˈfreɪɡrənt/

pleasant-smelling

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

gitnounUS /ɡɪt/

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

honornounUS /ˈɑːnər/

a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

how

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

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Well, I can.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

islenounUS /aɪl/

a small island

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

LikeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Like the Don! like Sancho!

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

o'eradverb

throughout a period of time

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

paradisenounUS /ˈperədaɪs/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

patchnounUS /pætʃ/

a small contrasting part of something

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

PlainsnounUS /pleɪnz/

plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

praisingadjectiveUS /ˈpreɪzɪŋ/

full of or giving praise

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

pungentadjectiveUS /ˈpʌndʒənt/

strong and sharp

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

RockiesnounUS /ˈrɑːkiz/

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading Antonio, how long have you been out here in the Plains and the Rockies?”

Sancho

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

From this reading Like the Don! like Sancho!

scoutnounUS /skaʊt/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

speakverbUS /spiːk/

express in speech

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

spicyadjectiveUS /ˈspaɪsi/

producing a burning sensation on the taste nerves

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

stumblingverbUS /ˈstʌmbəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Like the Don! like Sancho!

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

we've

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

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Well, I can.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Can speak with authority for that patch of paradise?

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading This is the correct Andalusian dawn now—crisp, fresh, dewy, fragrant, pungent—” “‘What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle—’ —_git_ up, you old cow! stumbling like that when we’ve just been praising you! out on a scout and can’t live up to the honor any better than that?

Chapter 5 of A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain holds 197 sentences, grouped into 40 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 5 of A Horse's Tale contain?

Chapter 5 holds 197 sentences of A Horse's Tale, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 197 sentences, grouped into 40 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 5 of A Horse's Tale?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Horse's Tale

Common questions about reading A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Horse's Tale?

Yes. All 1004 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1086 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Horse's Tale is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1086, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Horse's Tale take to read?

About 83 minutes of reading across 201 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Horse's Tale section by section

How to work through A Horse's Tale section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of A Horse's Tale 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 Horse's Tale

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Horse's Tale, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Horse's Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
October
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Horse's Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Printed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Horse's Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
United
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Horse's Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.