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A Man in the Open
A Man in the Open

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A Man in the Open is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Man in the Open
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.
If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.
It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.
But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.
So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.
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 Man in the Open

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A Man in the Open is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.
Line 2
If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.
Line 3
It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.
Line 4
But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.
Line 5
So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.
/soʊ aɪ prəˈsiːdz tuː stroʊk ðə fɜːr smuːð leɪ ðə pɔːz daʊn sɑːft foʊld ʌp ðə smaɪl ənd pɜːr/

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.

crawling noun US /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/

a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body

From this reading “If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.”

Dictated adjective US /dɪkˈteɪtɪd/

determined or decided upon as by an authority

fold noun US /foʊld/

an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading “So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.”

labrador noun US /ˈlæbrədɔːr/

the mainland part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the eastern part of the large Labrador-Ungava Peninsula in northeastern Canada

From this reading “ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.”

paws noun US /pɔːz/

plural of “paw” — a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped

From this reading “So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.”

proceeds noun US /prəˈsiːdz/

the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property

From this reading “So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.”

purr verb US /pɜːr/

make a soft swishing sound

From this reading “So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.”

yarn noun US /jɑːrn/

the act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events

From this reading “If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.”

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.

with emotions preposition + noun counted as “with emotion”

In this reading “If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.”

All words in this reading · 65

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.

ain't

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

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

bareadjectiveUS /ber/

completely unclothed

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

clawsnounUS /klɔːz/

plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/

a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

DictatedadjectiveUS /dɪkˈteɪtɪd/

determined or decided upon as by an authority

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

Don't

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

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.

emotionsnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃənz/

plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

evidencenounUS /ˈevədəns/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.

foldnounUS /foʊld/

an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

furnounUS /fɜːr/

the dressed hairy coat of a mammal

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

I'd

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

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

I'm

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

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

it's

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

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

Jesse

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

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

LABRADORnounUS /ˈlæbrədɔːr/

the mainland part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the eastern part of the large Labrador-Ungava Peninsula in northeastern Canada

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

pawsnounUS /pɔːz/

plural of “paw” — a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

proceedsnounUS /prəˈsiːdz/

the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

purrverbUS /pɜːr/

make a soft swishing sound

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

strokenounUS /stroʊk/

(sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

teethnounUS /tiːθ/

the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

that's

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

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

tipnounUS /tɪp/

the extreme end of something; especially something pointed

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading So I proceeds to stroke the fur smooth, lay the paws down soft, fold up the smile, and purr.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But then it's to please you, and that's what I'm for.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

wouldn't

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

From this reading It wouldn't be dull, no, or evidence.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

wroteverbUS /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

yarnnounUS /jɑːrn/

the act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events

From this reading If I wrote this yarn myself, I'd make it good and red from tip to tip, claws out, teeth bare, fur crawling with emotions.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading ON THE LABRADOR _Dictated by Mr. Jesse Smith_ Don't you write anything down yet, 'cause I ain't ready.

Chapter 2 of A Man in the Open by Roger Pocock holds 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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 Man in the Open contain?

Chapter 2 holds 218 sentences of A Man in the Open, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of A Man in the Open by Roger Pocock exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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 Man in the Open?

Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 44 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 Man in the Open

Common questions about reading A Man in the Open by Roger Pocock on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Man in the Open?

Yes. All 4400 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33423 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Man in the Open is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33423, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Man in the Open take to read?

About 366 minutes of reading across 880 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Man in the Open section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of A Man in the Open 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 Man in the Open

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

Except
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man in the Open; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Characters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man in the Open; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Appearing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man in the Open; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Volume
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Man in the Open; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.