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Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns
Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.
Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.
Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.
"Cut it out!" whispered Sandy.
"You don't have to do anything to wake me up!
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.
/ɪt wɑːz ˈsʌmwer nɪr ˈmɪdnaɪt wen ðə bɔɪz sɔːt ðer bedz/
Line 2
Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.
Line 3
Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.
Line 4
"Cut it out!" whispered Sandy.
/kʌt ɪt aʊt ˈwɪspərd ˈsændi/
Line 5
"You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

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.

audible adjective US /ˈɑːdəbəl/

heard or perceptible by the ear

From this reading “Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.”

beds noun US /bedz/

plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading “It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.”

breathing noun US /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading “Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.”

deftly adverb US /ˈdeftli/

with dexterity; in a dexterous manner

From this reading “Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.”

pillow noun US /ˈpɪloʊ/

a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person

From this reading “Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.”

Sandy adjective US /ˈsændi/

of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown

From this reading “Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.”

sleepers noun US /ˈsliːpərz/

plural of “sleeper” — a rester who is sleeping

From this reading “Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.”

slumber noun US /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading “Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.”

All words in this reading · 62

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 Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

asleepadjectiveUS /əˈsliːp/

in a state of sleep

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

audibleadjectiveUS /ˈɑːdəbəl/

heard or perceptible by the ear

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

bedsnounUS /bedz/

plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

breathingnounUS /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

CutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading "Cut it out!" whispered Sandy.

deftlyadverbUS /ˈdeftli/

with dexterity; in a dexterous manner

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

don't

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

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

notionnounUS /ˈnoʊʃən/

a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "Cut it out!" whispered Sandy.

passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

pillownounUS /ˈpɪloʊ/

a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

regularadjectiveUS /ˈreɡjələr/

in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

SandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/

of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

sleepersnounUS /ˈsliːpərz/

plural of “sleeper” — a rester who is sleeping

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

somewhereadverbUS /ˈsʌmwer/

in or at or to some place

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

soughtadjectiveUS /sɔːt/

that is looked for

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

strikeverbUS /straɪk/

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

TennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

threwverbUS /θruː/

inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

Tommy

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

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Ten minutes after the regular breathing of the two sleepers became audible, Tommy sat up in his bed and deftly threw a pillow so as to strike Sandy in the face.

wakeverbUS /weɪk/

be awake, be alert, be there

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was somewhere near midnight when the boys sought their beds.

whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading "Cut it out!" whispered Sandy.

Willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Will and George were soon asleep, but Tommy and Sandy had no notion of passing their first night in the mine in slumber.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You don't have to do anything to wake me up!

Chapter 1 of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns by Archibald Lee Fletcher holds 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 1 of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns contain?

Chapter 1 holds 121 sentences of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns by Archibald Lee Fletcher exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 121 sentences, grouped into 25 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 1 of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns

Common questions about reading Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns by Archibald Lee Fletcher on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns?

Yes. All 2494 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6338 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6338, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns take to read?

About 207 minutes of reading across 499 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns section by section

How to work through Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns 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 Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns

Words and structures a reader meets early in Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Somewhere
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Midnight
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sought
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.