Billy Bounce

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of Billy Bounce is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

Narrator

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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.

Chapter XIII Reading 1/30

Billy Bounce W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of Billy Bounce is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

O'FUDGE The next time Billy alighted he examined his suit with great care, for fear his adventures with the Bug Bears had strained the patch over the puncture, but to his great delight he found that it held as tightly as ever. As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city. We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts. And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up. A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

Billy Bounce

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of Billy Bounce is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

Line 2

As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

/æz ɪt ˈhæpənd hiː hæd stɑːpt ɑːn ə ˈdʌsti ˈhaɪweɪ dʒʌst ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ðə ɡeɪts ʌv ə ˈsɪti/

Line 3

We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

/wiː wɪl kɔːl ɪt ə ˈsɪti bɪˈkɔːz ˈbɪli ˈleɪtər lɜːrnd ðæt ɪts ɪnˈhæbətənts dɪd soʊ bʌt tuː ˈbɪliz ɡeɪz ɪt siːmd bʌt ə kəˈlekʃən ʌv ðə ˈpuːrɪst hʌts/

Line 4

And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

Line 5

A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

/ə fjuː fiːt ɪn ədˈvæns ʌv ðə rest ʌv ðə ˈpɑːrti roʊd ə ˈtætərd ənd tɔːrn ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl ɑːn ə leɪm hɔːrs/

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.

Billy's noun US /ˈbɪliz/

possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading “We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.”

Bug noun US /bʌɡ/

general term for any insect or similar creeping or crawling invertebrate

From this reading “O'FUDGE The next time Billy alighted he examined his suit with great care, for fear his adventures with the Bug Bears had strained the patch over the puncture, but to his great delight he found that it held as tightly as ever.”

huts noun US /hʌts/

plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter

From this reading “We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.”

lame noun US /leɪm/

someone who doesn't understand what is going on

From this reading “A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.”

poorest adjective US /ˈpuːrɪst/

superlative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity

From this reading “We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.”

punching verb US /ˈpʌntʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “punch” — deliver a quick blow to

From this reading “And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.”

puncture verb US /ˈpʌŋktʃər/

pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into

tattered adjective US /ˈtætərd/

worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing

From this reading “A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.”

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.

just outside adverb + adjective

In this reading “As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.”

few feet adjective + noun counted as “few foot”

In this reading “A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.”

next time adjective + noun

In this reading “O'FUDGE The next time Billy alighted he examined his suit with great care, for fear his adventures with the Bug Bears had strained the patch over the puncture, but to his great delight he found that it held as tightly as ever.”

rode up verb + adjective counted as “ride up”

In this reading “And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.”

great care adjective + noun

more attention and consideration than is normally bestowed by prudent persons

rest of verb + particle

In this reading “A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.”

advance of verb + particle

In this reading “A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.”

All words in this reading · 80

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 As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

advanceverbUS /ədˈvæns/

move forward, also in the metaphorical sense

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

adventuresnounUS /ædˈventʃərz/

plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

From this reading O'FUDGE The next time Billy alighted he examined his suit with great care, for fear his adventures with the Bug Bears had strained the patch over the puncture, but to his great delight he found that it held as tightly as ever.

alighted

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

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

BearsnounUS /berz/

plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/

a short stout club used primarily by policemen

Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/

possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

BugnounUS /bʌɡ/

general term for any insect or similar creeping or crawling invertebrate

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

collectionnounUS /kəˈlekʃən/

several things grouped together or considered as a whole

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

examinedverbUS /ɪɡˈzæmənd/

past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning

examiningverbUS /ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

gatesnounUS /ɡeɪts/

United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

gazenounUS /ɡeɪz/

a long fixed look

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

highwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/

a major road for any form of motor transport

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

horsemennounUS /ˈhɔːrsmən/

plural of “horseman” — a man skilled in equitation

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

horsewomen

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

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

hutsnounUS /hʌts/

plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

individualadjectiveUS /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

inhabitantsnounUS /ɪnˈhæbətənts/

plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

lamenounUS /leɪm/

someone who doesn't understand what is going on

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

O'FUDGE

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

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

patchnounUS /pætʃ/

a small contrasting part of something

poorestadjectiveUS /ˈpuːrɪst/

superlative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

pullingnounUS /ˈpʊlɪŋ/

the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

punchingverbUS /ˈpʌntʃɪŋ/

-ing form of “punch” — deliver a quick blow to

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

punctureverbUS /ˈpʌŋktʃər/

pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

rodeverbUS /roʊd/

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading As it happened, he had stopped on a dusty highway just outside the gates of a city.

strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/

lacking natural ease

suitverbUS /suːt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

tatteredadjectiveUS /ˈtætərd/

worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/

in a tight or constricted manner

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

tornadjectiveUS /tɔːrn/

having edges that are jagged from injury

From this reading A few feet in advance of the rest of the party rode a tattered and torn individual on a lame horse.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading And as he stood punching and pulling and examining his suit a party of horsemen and horsewomen rode up.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading We will call it a city because Billy later learned that its inhabitants did so, but to Billy's gaze it seemed but a collection of the poorest huts.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

Chapter 13 of Billy Bounce by W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow holds 151 sentences, grouped into 31 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 13 of Billy Bounce contain?

Chapter 13 holds 151 sentences of Billy Bounce, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Billy Bounce by W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 151 sentences, grouped into 31 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 13 of Billy Bounce?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Billy Bounce

Common questions about reading Billy Bounce by W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Billy Bounce?

Yes. All 3165 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48537 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Billy Bounce is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48537, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Billy Bounce take to read?

About 263 minutes of reading across 633 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Billy Bounce section by section

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

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Vocabulary met early in Billy Bounce

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

Https: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Bounce; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
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Chapter XIII

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