Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Automobiles
Automobiles

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Automobiles is here in full — 94 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Automobiles
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.
These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.
_The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.
_Cushion_ tires are sometimes employed on cars and trucks of medium weight.
_Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.
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.

Automobiles

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Automobiles is here in full — 94 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.
Line 2
These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.
Line 3
_The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.
/ðə ˈsɑːləd ˈtaɪərz ɑːr juːzd ɑːn ˈhevi trʌks wer weɪt ənd nɑːt spiːd mʌst biː prəˈvaɪdɪd fɔːr/
Line 4
_Cushion_ tires are sometimes employed on cars and trucks of medium weight.
/ˈkʊʃən ˈtaɪərz ɑːr səmˈtaɪmz emˈplɔɪd ɑːn kɑːrz ənd trʌks ʌv ˈmiːdiəm weɪt/
Line 5
_Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.
/nuːˈmætɪk ˈtaɪərz ɪn wɪtʃ er ɪz juːzd ɑːr ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəli juːzd ɪn ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːlz fɔːr ɔːl ˈʌðər ˈpɜːrpəsəz/

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.

automobiles noun US /ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːlz/

plural of “automobile” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading “_Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.”

pneumatic adjective US /nuːˈmætɪk/

of or relating to or using air (or a similar gas)

From this reading “TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.”

resiliency noun US /rɪˈzɪljənsi/

an occurrence of rebounding or springing back

From this reading “These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.”

rims noun US /rɪmz/

plural of “rim” — the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object

From this reading “TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.”

tires noun US /ˈtaɪərz/

plural of “tire” — hoop that covers a wheel

From this reading “TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.”

trucks noun US /trʌks/

plural of “truck” — an automotive vehicle suitable for hauling

From this reading “_The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.”

tubes noun US /tuːbz/

plural of “tube” — conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases

From this reading “TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.”

universally adverb US /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəli/

everywhere

From this reading “_Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.”

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.

provided for verb + particle counted as “provide for”

In this reading “_The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.”

other purposes adjective + noun counted as “other purpose”

In this reading “_Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.”

All words in this reading · 59

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 These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

affordverbUS /əˈfɔːrd/

be able to spare or give up

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

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 These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

automobilesnounUS /ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːlz/

plural of “automobile” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

carsnounUS /kɑːrz/

plural of “car” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading _Cushion_ tires are sometimes employed on cars and trucks of medium weight.

characteristicsnounUS /ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪks/

plural of “characteristic” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

compoundnounUS /ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/

a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

cushionnounUS /ˈkʊʃən/

a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

employedadjectiveUS /emˈplɔɪd/

having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary

From this reading _Cushion_ tires are sometimes employed on cars and trucks of medium weight.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

kindsnounUS /kaɪndz/

plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

mediumnounUS /ˈmiːdiəm/

a means or instrumentality for storing or communicating information

From this reading _Cushion_ tires are sometimes employed on cars and trucks of medium weight.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

namelyadverbUS /ˈneɪmli/

as follows

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

pneumaticadjectiveUS /nuːˈmætɪk/

of or relating to or using air (or a similar gas)

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

providedverbUS /prəˈvaɪdɪd/

past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

purposesnounUS /ˈpɜːrpəsəz/

plural of “purpose” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

qualitiesnounUS /ˈkwɑːlətiz/

plural of “quality” — an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

resiliencynounUS /rɪˈzɪljənsi/

an occurrence of rebounding or springing back

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

RIMSnounUS /rɪmz/

plural of “rim” — the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

rubbernounUS /ˈrʌbər/

an elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of products

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

SolidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/

characterized by good substantial quality

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading _Cushion_ tires are sometimes employed on cars and trucks of medium weight.

speedverbUS /spiːd/

move hurridly

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

surfacenounUS /ˈsɜːrfəs/

the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

ThreenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

TIRESnounUS /ˈtaɪərz/

plural of “tire” — hoop that covers a wheel

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

tractiveadjective

exerting traction and serving to pull

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

trucksnounUS /trʌks/

plural of “truck” — an automotive vehicle suitable for hauling

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

TUBESnounUS /tuːbz/

plural of “tube” — conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

universallyadverbUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəli/

everywhere

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading TIRES, TUBES, AND RIMS TIRES.--Three kinds of tires are now used, namely: Solid, cushion, and pneumatic.

weightnounUS /weɪt/

the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

welladverbUS /wel/

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

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading _The solid_ tires are used on heavy trucks, where weight and not speed must be provided for.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading _Pneumatic_ tires, in which air is used, are universally used in automobiles for all other purposes.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading These forms all use rubber, or some compound with the qualities and characteristics of rubber, so as to afford a good tractive surface, as well as resiliency.

Chapter 4 of Automobiles by James Slough Zerbe holds 94 sentences, grouped into 19 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 4 of Automobiles contain?

Chapter 4 holds 94 sentences of Automobiles, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Automobiles by James Slough Zerbe exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 94 sentences, grouped into 19 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 4 of Automobiles?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Automobiles

Common questions about reading Automobiles by James Slough Zerbe on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Automobiles?

Yes. All 1823 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #73790 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Automobiles is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #73790, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Automobiles take to read?

About 151 minutes of reading across 365 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Automobiles section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Automobiles 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 Automobiles

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

Zerbe
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Automobiles; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Price
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Automobiles; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Volume
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Automobiles; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cents
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Automobiles; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.