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Biltmore Oswald
Biltmore Oswald

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Biltmore Oswald is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Biltmore Oswald
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.
(Transfers!
Transfers!)"
"Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.
Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.
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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.

Biltmore Oswald

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Biltmore Oswald is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.
Line 2
(Transfers!
/trænˈsfɜːrz/
Line 3
Transfers!)"
/trænˈsfɜːrz/
Line 4
"Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.
/spaɪk sez ðæt hɪz ˈlɪb.ər.ti wɑːz hɪz fɜːrst ˈæktʃəwəl tʌtʃ wɪð ðə ˈhɔːrərz ʌv wɔːr/
Line 5
Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

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.

Hello noun US /həˈloʊ/

an expression of greeting

From this reading “Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.”

horrors noun US /ˈhɔːrərz/

plural of “horror” — intense and profound fear

From this reading “"Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.”

outbound adjective US /ˈaʊtbaʊnd/

that is going out or leaving

From this reading “Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.”

package noun US /ˈpækədʒ/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading “Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.”

Postmaster noun US /ˈpoʊstmæstər/

the person in charge of a post office

From this reading “Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.”

Spike noun US /spaɪk/

a transient variation in voltage or current

From this reading “"Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.”

Transfers noun US /trænˈsfɜːrz/

plural of “transfer” — the act of moving something from one location to another

From this reading “(Transfers!”

underwear noun US /ˈʌndərwer/

undergarment worn next to the skin and under the outer garments

From this reading “Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

actualadjectiveUS /ˈæktʃəwəl/

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

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 Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

AnotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

barnnounUS /bɑːrn/

an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

birdnounUS /bɜːrd/

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

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

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

catchverbUS /kætʃ/

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

cleanadjectiveUS /kliːn/

free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

fenceverbUS /fens/

enclose with a fence

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

Good-bynoun

a farewell remark

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

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 Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

HellonounUS /həˈloʊ/

an expression of greeting

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

horrorsnounUS /ˈhɔːrərz/

plural of “horror” — intense and profound fear

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

kissnounUS /kɪs/

the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

leanverbUS /liːn/

to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

libertynounUS /ˈlɪb.ər.ti/

The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

outboundadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtbaʊnd/

that is going out or leaving

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

packagenounUS /ˈpækədʒ/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

pitifuladjectiveUS /ˈpɪtəfəl/

inspiring mixed contempt and pity

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

PostmasternounUS /ˈpoʊstmæstər/

the person in charge of a post office

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/

located far away spatially

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

shakeverbUS /ʃeɪk/

move or cause to move back and forth

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

SpikenounUS /spaɪk/

a transient variation in voltage or current

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

StatenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

tonesnounUS /toʊnz/

plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

touchverbUS /tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

TransfersnounUS /trænˈsfɜːrz/

plural of “transfer” — the act of moving something from one location to another

From this reading (Transfers!

twelve-thirty

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

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

underwearnounUS /ˈʌndərwer/

undergarment worn next to the skin and under the outer garments

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

waitverbUS /weɪt/

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

waysnounUS /weɪz/

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

we'll

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

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Spike" says that his liberty was his first actual touch with the horrors of war.

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading "Yes, dear; wait until twelve-thirty, and we'll drive to the car barn then.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading Another bird that lived in some remote corner of New York State told me in pitiful tones that all he had time to do was to walk down the street of his home town, shake hands with the Postmaster, lean over the fence and kiss his girl (it had to go two ways, Hello and Good-by), take a package of clean underwear from his mother as he passed by and catch the outbound train on the dead run.

Chapter 2 of Biltmore Oswald by Thorne Smith holds 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 2 of Biltmore Oswald contain?

Chapter 2 holds 407 sentences of Biltmore Oswald, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Biltmore Oswald by Thorne Smith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 2 of Biltmore Oswald?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Biltmore Oswald

Common questions about reading Biltmore Oswald by Thorne Smith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Biltmore Oswald?

Yes. All 2007 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #16634 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Biltmore Oswald is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #16634, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Biltmore Oswald take to read?

About 167 minutes of reading across 402 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Biltmore Oswald section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of Biltmore Oswald 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 Biltmore Oswald

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

Thorne
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biltmore Oswald; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biltmore Oswald; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Richard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biltmore Oswald; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dorgan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biltmore Oswald; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.