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Biographical Stories
Biographical Stories

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Biographical Stories is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Biographical Stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
[CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.
But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.
What had become of their heap of stones?
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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.

Biographical Stories

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Biographical Stories is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.
/æz ðə ˈtʃɪldrən hæd noʊ mɔːr ˈkwestʃənz tuː æsk ˈmɪstər ˈtempəl prəˈsiːdɪd tuː rɪˈleɪt wʌt ˈkɑːnsəkwensəz ɪnˈsuːd frʌm ðə ˈbɪldɪŋ ʌv bel ˈfræŋklənz wɔːrf/
Line 2
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
/ˈbendʒəmən ˈfræŋklɪn/
Line 3
[CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.
Line 4
But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.
/bʌt ɑːn ˈriːtʃɪŋ ðə spɑːt ðeɪ rʌbd ðer aɪz soʊ mʌtʃ ðə ˈhɑːrdər/
Line 5
What had become of their heap of stones?
/wʌt hæd bɪˈkʌm ʌv ðer hiːp ʌv stoʊnz/

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.

benjamin noun US /ˈbendʒəmən/

gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation

From this reading “BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.”

ensued verb US /ɪnˈsuːd/

past form of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

From this reading “As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.”

franklin noun US /ˈfræŋklɪn/

United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)

From this reading “As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.”

Franklin's noun US /ˈfræŋklənz/

possessive form of “franklin” — United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)

From this reading “As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.”

gilding noun US /ˈɡɪldɪŋ/

a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold

From this reading “[CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.”

masons noun US /ˈmeɪsənz/

plural of “mason” — American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading “[CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.”

steeples noun US /ˈstiːpəlz/

plural of “steeple” — a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top

From this reading “[CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.”

wharf noun US /wɔːrf/

a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats

From this reading “As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.”

All words in this reading · 64

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.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading What had become of their heap of stones?

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

BellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

BENJAMINnounUS /ˈbendʒəmən/

gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation

From this reading BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

consequencesnounUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwensəz/

plural of “consequence” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

CONTINUEDadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːd/

without stop or interruption

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

ensuedverbUS /ɪnˈsuːd/

past form of “ensue” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

foundationnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/

the basis on which something is grounded

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

FRANKLINnounUS /ˈfræŋklɪn/

United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)

From this reading BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

Franklin'snounUS /ˈfræŋklənz/

possessive form of “franklin” — United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

gildingnounUS /ˈɡɪldɪŋ/

a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

gleamingnounUS /ˈɡliːmɪŋ/

a flash of light (especially reflected light)

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/

comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

heapnounUS /hiːp/

a collection of objects laid on top of each other

From this reading What had become of their heap of stones?

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

masonsnounUS /ˈmeɪsənz/

plural of “mason” — American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

proceededverbUS /prəˈsiːdɪd/

past form of “proceed” — continue talking

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

questionsnounUS /ˈkwestʃənz/

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

reachingnounUS /ˈriːtʃɪŋ/

the act of physically reaching or thrusting out

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

relateverbUS /rɪˈleɪt/

make a logical or causal connection

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

roofsnounUS /ruːfs/

plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

rubbedverbUS /rʌbd/

inflected form of “rub” — move over something with pressure

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

rubbingnounUS /ˈrʌbɪŋ/

the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

spotnounUS /spɑːt/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

steeplesnounUS /ˈstiːpəlz/

plural of “steeple” — a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading What had become of their heap of stones?

sunbeams

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

TemplenounUS /ˈtempəl/

place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But, on reaching the spot, they rubbed their eyes so much the harder.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

townnounUS /taʊn/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

wharfnounUS /wɔːrf/

a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading As the children had no more questions to ask, Mr. Temple proceeded to relate what consequences ensued from the building of Bell Franklin's wharf.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

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

From this reading [CONTINUED] In the morning, when the early sunbeams were gleaming on the steeples and roofs of the town and gilding the water that surrounded it, the masons came, rubbing their eyes, to begin their work at the foundation of the new house.

Chapter 8 of Biographical Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne holds 100 sentences, grouped into 20 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 8 of Biographical Stories contain?

Chapter 8 holds 100 sentences of Biographical Stories, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Biographical Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 100 sentences, grouped into 20 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 8 of Biographical Stories?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Biographical Stories

Common questions about reading Biographical Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Biographical Stories?

Yes. All 1013 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9254 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Biographical Stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9254, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Biographical Stories take to read?

About 84 minutes of reading across 203 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Biographical Stories section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Biographical Stories 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 Biographical Stories

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

Edward
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographical Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Temple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographical Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Eight
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographical Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Years
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographical Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.