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Actions and reactions
Actions and reactions

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Actions and reactions is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Actions and reactions
Context Illustration Reading 1/44 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.
They don't.
But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.
My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.
I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Actions and reactions

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Actions and reactions is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/44 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.
Line 2
They don't.
Line 3
But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.
/bʌt maɪ tʃiːf wɑːz ˈsmoʊkɪŋ em aʊt ʌv ðə nɔːrθ ɔːl ðæt ˈsiːzən ənd ðeɪ wɜːr ˈboʊltɪŋ ˈɪntuː frentʃ ˈterɪtɔːri ˈeni roʊd ðeɪ kʊd faɪnd/
Line 4
My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.
Line 5
I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

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.

bolting verb US /ˈboʊltɪŋ/

-ing form of “bolt” — move or jump suddenly

From this reading “But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.”

circulated verb US /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪtɪd/

past form of “circulate” — become widely known and passed on

From this reading “My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.”

Din noun US /dɪn/

a loud harsh or strident noise

From this reading “I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.”

Fork noun US /fɔːrk/

cutlery used for serving and eating food

From this reading “My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.”

Imam noun US /ˈaɪmæm/

(Islam) the man who leads prayers in a mosque; for Shiites an imam is a recognized authority on Islamic theology and law and a spiritual guide

From this reading “I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.”

season noun US /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading “But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.”

smoking noun US /ˈsmoʊkɪŋ/

the act of smoking tobacco or other substances

From this reading “But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.”

territory noun US /ˈterɪtɔːri/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading “But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.”

All words in this reading · 67

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 I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

boltingverbUS /ˈboʊltɪŋ/

-ing form of “bolt” — move or jump suddenly

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

ChiefnounUS /tʃiːf/

a person who is in charge

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

circulatedverbUS /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪtɪd/

past form of “circulate” — become widely known and passed on

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

couldn't

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

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/

a pair who associate with one another

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

didn't

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

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

DinnounUS /dɪn/

a loud harsh or strident noise

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

don't

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

From this reading “They don't.

emnounUS /em/

a quad with a square body

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

ForknounUS /fɔːrk/

cutlery used for serving and eating food

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

gentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/

a man of refinement

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

ImamnounUS /ˈaɪmæm/

(Islam) the man who leads prayers in a mosque; for Shiites an imam is a recognized authority on Islamic theology and law and a spiritual guide

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

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 My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

Makalali

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

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

noticenounUS /ˈnoʊtəs/

an announcement containing information about an event

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

ordersnounUS /ˈɔːrdərz/

plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

policenounUS /pəˈliːs/

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

seasonnounUS /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

slave-dealing

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

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

slavers

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

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

smokingnounUS /ˈsmoʊkɪŋ/

the act of smoking tobacco or other substances

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

territorynounUS /ˈterɪtɔːri/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “They don't.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading My orders were to take no notice so long as they circulated, but open slave-dealing in--the--Fork, was too much.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But my Chief was smoking 'em out of the North all that season, and they were bolting into French territory any road they could find.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I couldn't go myself, so I told a couple of our Makalali police and Imam Din to make talk with the gentleman one time.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “I thought you said slavers didn't come your way,” I put in.

Chapter 16 of Actions and reactions by Rudyard Kipling holds 221 sentences, grouped into 45 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 16 of Actions and reactions contain?

Chapter 16 holds 221 sentences of Actions and reactions, unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Actions and reactions by Rudyard Kipling exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 221 sentences, grouped into 45 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 16 of Actions and reactions?

Work through the 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 45 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Actions and reactions

Common questions about reading Actions and reactions by Rudyard Kipling on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Actions and reactions?

Yes. All 4931 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2381 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Actions and reactions is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2381, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Actions and reactions take to read?

About 410 minutes of reading across 987 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Actions and reactions section by section

How to work through Actions and reactions section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Actions and reactions 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 Actions and reactions

Words and structures a reader meets early in Actions and reactions, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Friend
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Actions and reactions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cause
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Actions and reactions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wrest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Actions and reactions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Folly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Actions and reactions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.