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Battling the clouds
Battling the clouds

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Battling the clouds is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Battling the clouds
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.
"There is some monkey work going on here.
Somebody is foolin' with your plane.
We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.
And it's no fool, either.
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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.

Battling the clouds

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of Battling the clouds is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.
Line 2
"There is some monkey work going on here.
/ðer ɪz sʌm ˈmʌŋki wɜːrk ˈɡoʊɪŋ ɑːn hiːr/
Line 3
Somebody is foolin' with your plane.
Line 4
We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.
Line 5
And it's no fool, either.

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.

blurted verb US /ˈblɜːrtɪd/

past form of “blurt” — utter impulsively

From this reading “"No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.”

hangar noun US /ˈhæŋər/

a large structure at an airport where aircraft can be stored and maintained

From this reading “We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.”

lock verb US /lɑːk/

fasten with a lock

From this reading “We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.”

machine noun US /məˈʃiːn/

any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

From this reading “We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.”

monkey noun US /ˈmʌŋki/

any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)

From this reading “"There is some monkey work going on here.”

plane noun US /pleɪn/

an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets

From this reading “Somebody is foolin' with your plane.”

someone pronoun US /ˈsʌmwʌn/

a person, without saying who

From this reading “We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.”

tune noun US /tuːn/

a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading “We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.”

All words in this reading · 56

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.

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 We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

allee

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

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

BillnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

blurtedverbUS /ˈblɜːrtɪd/

past form of “blurt” — utter impulsively

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

Chinee

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

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading And it's no fool, either.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

foolnounUS /fuːl/

a person who lacks good judgment

From this reading And it's no fool, either.

foolin

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

From this reading Somebody is foolin' with your plane.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

getsnounUS /ɡets/

plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

hangarnounUS /ˈhæŋər/

a large structure at an airport where aircraft can be stored and maintained

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

it's

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

From this reading And it's no fool, either.

Jardin

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

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

lockverbUS /lɑːk/

fasten with a lock

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

machinenounUS /məˈʃiːn/

any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

monkeynounUS /ˈmʌŋki/

any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

planenounUS /pleɪn/

an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets

From this reading Somebody is foolin' with your plane.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

samee

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

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

SomebodypronounUS /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading Somebody is foolin' with your plane.

someonepronounUS /ˈsʌmwʌn/

a person, without saying who

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

talkin

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

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

tunenounUS /tuːn/

a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading "No use talkin' Mr. Jardin," one of the men blurted out as Bill came up.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We lock the hangar every night, and someone is always around all day, but allee samee, as the Chinee says, allee samee, _somebody_ gets that machine all out of tune as soon as I get it right.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Somebody is foolin' with your plane.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading "There is some monkey work going on here.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Somebody is foolin' with your plane.

Chapter 11 of Battling the clouds by Frank Cobb holds 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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 11 of Battling the clouds contain?

Chapter 11 holds 205 sentences of Battling the clouds, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of Battling the clouds by Frank Cobb exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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 11 of Battling the clouds?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 Battling the clouds

Common questions about reading Battling the clouds by Frank Cobb on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Battling the clouds?

Yes. All 2803 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28625 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Battling the clouds is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28625, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Battling the clouds take to read?

About 233 minutes of reading across 561 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Battling the clouds section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 15 chapters of Battling the clouds 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 Battling the clouds

Words and structures a reader meets early in Battling the clouds, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Aviation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Battling the clouds; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Field
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Battling the clouds; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quivered
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Battling the clouds; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Grilling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Battling the clouds; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.