Chapter 4 of Cattle Brands is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Cattle Brands is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Some other day,” said Stubb. “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday? You did? Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you? I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
Chapter 4 of Cattle Brands is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading “I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.””
plural of “bottom” — the lower side of anything
From this reading ““But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?”
a river that rises in northeastern New Mexico and flows eastward into Oklahoma where it becomes a tributary of the Arkansas River
From this reading ““But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?”
English writer known for his interest in mythology and in the classics (1895-1985)
From this reading ““But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?”
make reference to
From this reading “Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?”
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading ““But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?”
plural of “tenant” — someone who pays rent to use land or a building or a car that is owned by someone else
From this reading “Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?”
the second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico
From this reading “I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.””
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.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
plural of “bottom” — the lower side of anything
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
a river that rises in northeastern New Mexico and flows eastward into Oklahoma where it becomes a tributary of the Arkansas River
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “Some other day,” said Stubb.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
English writer known for his interest in mythology and in the classics (1895-1985)
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
immediately past
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “Some other day,” said Stubb.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
above and across; more than
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
make reference to
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
precisely, exactly
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Some other day,” said Stubb.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “Some other day,” said Stubb.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Some other day,” said Stubb.
plural of “tenant” — someone who pays rent to use land or a building or a car that is owned by someone else
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
the second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Their tenants were killed over that trail; you see now why I hate to refer to it, don’t you?
a late time of life
From this reading I was afraid to go back to Texas for three years afterward.”
the day immediately before today
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “But did you notice those three graves on the last ridge of sand-hills to the right as we came out of the Cimarron bottoms yesterday?
Chapter 4 of Cattle Brands by Andy Adams holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Chapter 4 holds 412 sentences of Cattle Brands, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Cattle Brands by Andy Adams exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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.
Common questions about reading Cattle Brands by Andy Adams on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3663 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12281 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #12281, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 305 minutes of reading across 733 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Cattle Brands section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Cattle Brands to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Cattle Brands, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
