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A Ward of the Golden Gate
A Ward of the Golden Gate

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of A Ward of the Golden Gate is here in full — 503 sentences across 101 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/100 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.
He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."
Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.
And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.
He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Ward of the Golden Gate

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of A Ward of the Golden Gate is here in full — 503 sentences across 101 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/100 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.
/ðə nekst ˈmɔːrnɪŋ pɔːl kʊd nɑːt help ˈnoʊtɪsɪŋ æn ˌɪnˈkriːst ənd ˈiːvɪn ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪtəd rɪˈspekt peɪd hɪm baɪ ðə hoʊˈtel əˈtendənts/
Line 2
He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."
Line 3
Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.
Line 4
And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.
Line 5
He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.
/hiː hæd bɪˈliːvd ðæt hiː wʊd ɪˈventʃəwəli siː hɜːr ɪn ˈjʊrəp ɪn sʌm veɪɡ ənd ˌɪnˈdefənət weɪ ənd ˈaʊər ɪt hæd bɪn ɪn hɪz maɪnd wen hiː ˈstɑːrtɪd frʌm ˌkæləˈfɔːrnjə/

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.

chamberlain noun US /ˈtʃeɪmbərlən/

British statesman who as Prime Minister pursued a policy of appeasement toward fascist Germany (1869-1940)

From this reading “He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."”

condescension noun US /ˌkɑːndəˈsenʃən/

the trait of displaying arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior

From this reading “He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."”

indefinite adjective US /ˌɪnˈdefənət/

vague or not clearly defined or stated

From this reading “He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.”

obsequious adjective US /əbˈsiːkwiəs/

attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

From this reading “He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."”

postponed verb US /poʊstˈpoʊnd/

past form of “postpone” — hold back to a later time

From this reading “Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.”

preoccupied adjective US /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

deeply absorbed in thought

From this reading “And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.”

selecting verb US /səˈlektɪŋ/

-ing form of “select” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading “He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."”

summoning noun US /ˈsʌmənɪŋ/

calling up supposed supernatural forces by spells and incantations

From this reading “He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."”

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 He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

attendverbUS /əˈtend/

be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

attendantsnounUS /əˈtendənts/

plural of “attendant” — someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

backwardsadverbUS /ˈbækwərdz/

at or to or toward the back or rear

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

believedverbUS /bɪˈliːvd/

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

CalifornianounUS /ˌkæləˈfɔːrnjə/

a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

chamberlainnounUS /ˈtʃeɪmbərlən/

British statesman who as Prime Minister pursued a policy of appeasement toward fascist Germany (1869-1940)

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

coffee-room

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

colonelnounUS /ˈkɜːrnəl/

a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

condescensionnounUS /ˌkɑːndəˈsenʃən/

the trait of displaying arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

confessverbUS /kənˈfes/

confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

connectedadjectiveUS /kəˈnektɪd/

being joined in close association

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

daredverbUS /derd/

past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

EuropenounUS /ˈjʊrəp/

the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use “Europe” to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

eventuallyadverbUS /ɪˈventʃəwəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

exaggeratedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪtəd/

represented as greater than is true or reasonable

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

EXCELLENCYnounUS /ˈekˈslensi/

a title used to address dignitaries (such as ambassadors or governors); usually preceded by “Your” or “His” or “Her”

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

extravagancenounUS /ekˈstrævəɡəns/

the quality of exceeding the appropriate limits of decorum or probability or truth

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

fullyadverbUS /ˈfʊli/

to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

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

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

increasedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːst/

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

indefiniteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdefənət/

vague or not clearly defined or stated

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

investigationnounUS /ˌɪnvestəˈɡeɪʃən/

an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

meetingnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋ/

a formally arranged gathering

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

milor

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

noticingverbUS /ˈnoʊtɪsɪŋ/

-ing form of “notice” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

obsequiousadjectiveUS /əbˈsiːkwiəs/

attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

PaulnounUS /pɔːl/

United States feminist (1885-1977)

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

postponedverbUS /poʊstˈpoʊnd/

past form of “postpone” — hold back to a later time

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/

existing or coming before

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

preoccupiedadjectiveUS /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

deeply absorbed in thought

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

preventverbUS /prɪˈvent/

keep from happening or arising; make impossible

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

prospectnounUS /ˈprɑːspekt/

the possibility of future success

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

respectnounUS /rɪˈspekt/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

selectingverbUS /səˈlektɪŋ/

-ing form of “select” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

servedverbUS /sɜːrvd/

past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

speciallyadverbUS /ˈspeʃəli/

in a special manner

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

struckadjectiveUS /strʌk/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

summoningnounUS /ˈsʌmənɪŋ/

calling up supposed supernatural forces by spells and incantations

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

Surmising

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

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The next morning Paul could not help noticing an increased and even exaggerated respect paid him by the hotel attendants.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

unexpectedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪd/

not expected or anticipated

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

vagueadjectiveUS /veɪɡ/

not clearly expressed or understood

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

waiternounUS /ˈweɪtər/

a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Surmising that George and the colonel might be in some way connected with this extravagance, he postponed an investigation till he should have seen them again.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He had believed that he would eventually see her in Europe, in some vague and indefinite way and hour: it had been in his mind when he started from California.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He was asked if his EXCELLENCY would be served with breakfast in a private room, and his condescension in selecting the public coffee-room struck the obsequious chamberlain, but did not prevent him from preceding Paul backwards to the table, and summoning a waiter to attend specially upon "milor."

Yerba

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

From this reading And, although he hardly dared to confess it to himself, the unexpected prospect of meeting Yerba again fully preoccupied his thoughts.

Chapter 6 of A Ward of the Golden Gate by Bret Harte holds 503 sentences, grouped into 101 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 6 of A Ward of the Golden Gate contain?

Chapter 6 holds 503 sentences of A Ward of the Golden Gate, unabridged, divided into 101 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of A Ward of the Golden Gate by Bret Harte exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 503 sentences, grouped into 101 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 6 of A Ward of the Golden Gate?

Work through the 101 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 101 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Ward of the Golden Gate

Common questions about reading A Ward of the Golden Gate by Bret Harte on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Ward of the Golden Gate?

Yes. All 2262 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2193 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Ward of the Golden Gate is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2193, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Ward of the Golden Gate take to read?

About 188 minutes of reading across 453 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Ward of the Golden Gate section by section

How to work through A Ward of the Golden Gate section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of A Ward of the Golden Gate 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 Ward of the Golden Gate

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Ward of the Golden Gate, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Principal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ward of the Golden Gate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Parlor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ward of the Golden Gate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Golden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ward of the Golden Gate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hotel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Ward of the Golden Gate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.