Chapter 14 of Clematis is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIV
Chapter 14 of Clematis is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed. "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted. Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled. "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked. "She's my own cat.
Chapter 14 of Clematis is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/20 · 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.
wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc
From this reading “"I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.”
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading “"I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.”
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading “"What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.”
any of various ornamental climbing plants of the genus Clematis usually having showy flowers
From this reading “Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.”
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading “Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.”
look furtively
From this reading “THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.”
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading “"I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.”
in a vehement outcry
From this reading “"I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.”
used with question words to convey surprise
In this reading “"What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.”
take into consideration for exemplifying purposes
In this reading “Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.”
In this reading “Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.”
In this reading “THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.”
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.
wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
eagerly desirous
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
any of various ornamental climbing plants of the genus Clematis usually having showy flowers
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
a form of address for a man
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "She's my own cat.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "She's my own cat.
look furtively
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
cut with a saw
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "She's my own cat.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Mrs. Alder frowned at first, but when she looked at Clematis, and saw her anxious face, she smiled.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
at the time that
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
a Caucasian
From this reading THE COUNTRY When Mr. Ladd saw the little white head peep out, he put his head back and laughed.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What on earth made you bring that cat way up here?" she asked.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I pity the rats in your barn now, Mrs. Alder," he shouted.
Chapter 14 of Clematis by Bertha B. (Bertha Browning) Cobb holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 14 holds 102 sentences of Clematis, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 14 of Clematis by Bertha B. (Bertha Browning) Cobb exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 21 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 14 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 Clematis by Bertha B. (Bertha Browning) Cobb on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2376 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26543 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #26543, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 198 minutes of reading across 476 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Clematis section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Clematis 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 Clematis, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
