Chapter 2 of Heart of the West is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Heart of the West is here in full — 199 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.” “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality. “What else can you expect? Let me tell you. I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
Chapter 2 of Heart of the West is here in full — 199 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.
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading ““Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.””
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading ““Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.””
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading ““Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.”
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading ““Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.”
the legendary patron saint of children; an imaginary being who is thought to bring presents to children at Christmas
From this reading ““Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.””
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading ““Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.”
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading ““Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.”
English writer and a central member of the Fabian Society (1858-1943)
From this reading ““Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.””
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 I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “What else can you expect?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What else can you expect?
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading “What else can you expect?
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let me tell you.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
joined in matrimony
From this reading I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Let me tell you.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
in the manner of someone delivering a rebuke
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
the legendary patron saint of children; an imaginary being who is thought to bring presents to children at Christmas
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
express in words
From this reading Let me tell you.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was a man before I married a cattle-queen.
English writer and a central member of the Fabian Society (1858-1943)
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What else can you expect?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What else can you expect?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Webb,” said Santa rebukingly, “you’re acting mighty foolish to-day.”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Court fool, your Majesty,” said Webb, in his slow tones, which had changed their quality.
Chapter 2 of Heart of the West by O. Henry holds 199 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 2 holds 199 sentences of Heart of the West, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Heart of the West by O. Henry exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 199 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 2 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 Heart of the West by O. Henry on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5041 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1725 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1725, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 420 minutes of reading across 1009 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Heart of the West section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of Heart of the West 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 Heart of the West, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
