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Billy Whiskers at Home
Billy Whiskers at Home

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of Billy Whiskers at Home is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Frances Trego Montgomery • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Billy Whiskers at Home
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.
He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:
“Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”
“You have,” Mr. Watson replied.
“What can I do for you?”
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.

Billy Whiskers at Home

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of Billy Whiskers at Home is here in full — 139 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.
/ˈbɪli bɪˈkʌmz ə ˈmuːvi ˈæktər ˈbɪli wɑːz kloʊs bɪˈsaɪd ˈmɪstər ˈwɑːtsənz tʃer ðæt ˈdʒentəlmən ˈsɪtɪŋ ˈʌndər ə bɪɡ elm hɪz tʃer tɪpt bæk əˈɡenst ɪts trʌŋk ə ˈnuːzpeɪpər ɪn hɪz hændz wen ə ˈstreɪndʒər droʊv ˈɪntuː ðə jɑːrd ɪn ə ˌhaɪˈpaʊərd braɪt red ˈroʊdstər/
Line 2
He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:
/hiː stɑːpt ðə kɑːr ənd ˈkʌmɪŋ ʌp tuː ˈmɪstər ˈwɑːtsən sed/
Line 3
“Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”
/hæv aɪ ðə ˈpleʒər ʌv əˈdresɪŋ ˈmɪstər ˈwɑːtsən/
Line 4
“You have,” Mr. Watson replied.
/juː hæv ˈmɪstər ˈwɑːtsən rɪˈplaɪd/
Line 5
“What can I do for you?”
/wʌt kæn aɪ duː fɔːr juː/

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.

actor noun US /ˈæktər/

a theatrical performer

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
elm noun US /elm/

any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
high-powered adjective US /ˌhaɪˈpaʊərd/

vigorously energetic or forceful

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
movie noun US /ˈmuːvi/

a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roadster noun US /ˈroʊdstər/

an open automobile having a front seat and a rumble seat

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tipped adjective US /tɪpt/

having a tip; or having a tip as specified (used in combination)

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Watson noun US /ˈwɑːtsən/

United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)

From this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Watson's noun US /ˈwɑːtsənz/

possessive form of “watson” — United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

bright red adjective + noun

In this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

1,768 times in 426,211 chapters
into the yard preposition + article + noun counted as “into … yard”

In this reading “BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.”

3,424 times in 426,211 chapters

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ACTORnounUS /ˈæktər/

a theatrical performer

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/

-ing form of “address” — speak to

From this reading “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BECOMESverbUS /bɪˈkʌmz/

third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BILLYnounUS /ˈbɪli/

a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “What can I do for you?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “What can I do for you?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
elmnounUS /elm/

any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “What can I do for you?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gentlemannounUS /ˈdʒentəlmən/

a man of refinement

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
high-poweredadjectiveUS /ˌhaɪˈpaʊərd/

vigorously energetic or forceful

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
MOVIEnounUS /ˈmuːvi/

a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
newspapernounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpər/

a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Watson?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading “You have,” Mr. Watson replied.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roadsternounUS /ˈroʊdstər/

an open automobile having a front seat and a rumble seat

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strangernounUS /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tippedadjectiveUS /tɪpt/

having a tip; or having a tip as specified (used in combination)

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trunknounUS /trʌŋk/

the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WatsonnounUS /ˈwɑːtsən/

United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)

From this reading He stopped the car and coming up to Mr. Watson, said:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Watson'snounUS /ˈwɑːtsənz/

possessive form of “watson” — United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What can I do for you?”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yardnounUS /jɑːrd/

a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride

From this reading BILLY BECOMES A MOVIE ACTOR Billy was close beside Mr. Watson’s chair, that gentleman sitting under a big elm, his chair tipped back against its trunk, a newspaper in his hands, when a stranger drove into the yard in a high-powered, bright red roadster.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You have,” Mr. Watson replied.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 20 of Billy Whiskers at Home by Frances Trego Montgomery holds 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 20 of Billy Whiskers at Home contain?

Chapter 20 holds 139 sentences of Billy Whiskers at Home, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of Billy Whiskers at Home by Frances Trego Montgomery exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 139 sentences, grouped into 28 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 20 of Billy Whiskers at Home?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Whiskers at Home

Common questions about reading Billy Whiskers at Home by Frances Trego Montgomery on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Billy Whiskers at Home?

Yes. All 1663 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #65433 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Billy Whiskers at Home is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #65433, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Billy Whiskers at Home take to read?

About 138 minutes of reading across 333 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Billy Whiskers at Home section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of Billy Whiskers at Home 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 Billy Whiskers at Home

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

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Whiskers at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Billy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Whiskers at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Whiskers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Whiskers at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Adventures
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Whiskers at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.