Chapter 2 of Across the Fruited Plain is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Across the Fruited Plain is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids? What about it, Grandma? Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better? Or go on into oysters together?" The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
Chapter 2 of Across the Fruited Plain is here in full — 421 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading “The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.”
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading “What about it, Grandma?”
possessive form of “grandpa” — the father of your father or mother
From this reading “"Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?”
plural of “kid” — a young person of either sex
From this reading “"Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?”
plural of “oyster” — marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on the sea bed mostly in coastal waters
From this reading “Or go on into oysters together?"”
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading “"Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?”
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading “The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.”
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading “The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
any thing at all
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
(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 Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading What about it, Grandma?
possessive form of “grandpa” — the father of your father or mother
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Or go on into oysters together?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
plural of “kid” — a young person of either sex
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Or go on into oysters together?"
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Or go on into oysters together?"
plural of “oyster” — marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on the sea bed mostly in coastal waters
From this reading Or go on into oysters together?"
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
express in words
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading The tears stole down Jimmie's cheeks, but he didn't say anything.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
up to a particular time
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Or go on into oysters together?"
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Do we go back to the city and-and part company till times are better?
(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, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
the words that are spoken
From this reading "Well, now," Grandpa's words were slow, "what about it, kids?
Chapter 2 of Across the Fruited Plain by Florence Crannell Means holds 421 sentences, grouped into 85 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.
Chapter 2 holds 421 sentences of Across the Fruited Plain, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Across the Fruited Plain by Florence Crannell Means exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 421 sentences, grouped into 85 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.
Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 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.
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.
Common questions about reading Across the Fruited Plain by Florence Crannell Means on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1690 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #18681 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #18681, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 140 minutes of reading across 338 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Across the Fruited Plain section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 4 chapters of Across the Fruited Plain to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Across the Fruited Plain, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
