Chapter 1 of Four Girls and a Compact is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Four Girls and a Compact is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited. Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one. Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name. "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann. "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
Chapter 1 of Four Girls and a Compact is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/39 · 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.
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading “Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.”
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading “"Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.”
plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading “Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.”
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading “"Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.”
no person; not anyone
From this reading “Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.”
past form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading “Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.”
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading “"Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.”
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading “"Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
for the reason that
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.
and nothing more
From this reading "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
no person; not anyone
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
past form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nobody else in the little colony--the "B-Hive"--had a queeny name.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
in spite of the fact that
From this reading "Though I just missed it," sighed Laura Ann.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "Wait for T.O.," commanded Loraine, and of course they waited.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Loraine's commands were always obeyed, Laura Ann said, because her name was such a _queeny_ one.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Think what a little step from Loraine to Laur' Ann!
Chapter 1 of Four Girls and a Compact by Annie Hamilton Donnell holds 196 sentences, grouped into 40 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 1 holds 196 sentences of Four Girls and a Compact, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Four Girls and a Compact by Annie Hamilton Donnell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 196 sentences, grouped into 40 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 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 40 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 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.
Common questions about reading Four Girls and a Compact by Annie Hamilton Donnell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1413 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9505 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #9505, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 117 minutes of reading across 283 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Four Girls and a Compact section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 6 chapters of Four Girls and a Compact 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 Four Girls and a Compact, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
