Chapter 9 of Freaks on the Fells is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of Freaks on the Fells is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it." "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack. "Yes." "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?" I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
Chapter 9 of Freaks on the Fells is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/88 · 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.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “"You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.”
a small worthless amount
From this reading “"Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."”
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading “"You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.”
win a victory over
From this reading “I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.”
the trait of giving little thought to danger
From this reading “I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.”
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading “I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.”
be standing; be upright
From this reading “"Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."”
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading “I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
dearly loved
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
a small worthless amount
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
win a victory over
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
the trait of giving little thought to danger
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
express in words
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
express in speech
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
be standing; be upright
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Oh, Jack, dear, don't speak like that--I can't stand it."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was so overcome, and, to say the truth, surprised, at my companion's recklessness, that I could not reply.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading "Then how d'you know whether you can stand it or not?"
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You're lying down, ain't you?" inquired Jack.
Chapter 9 of Freaks on the Fells by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne holds 440 sentences, grouped into 88 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 9 holds 440 sentences of Freaks on the Fells, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of Freaks on the Fells by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 440 sentences, grouped into 88 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 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 88 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 9 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 Freaks on the Fells by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3866 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23505 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #23505, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 322 minutes of reading across 774 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Freaks on the Fells section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of Freaks on the Fells 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 Freaks on the Fells, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
