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Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons
Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons is here in full — 119 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Augusta Huiell Seaman • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.
The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.
In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.
"Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.
"We will be discovered and all will be lost!"
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons is here in full — 119 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.
Line 2
The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.
/ðə fɜːrst θɪŋ hiː dɪd kɑːzd hɜːr kənˈsɪdərəbəl ˈwʌndər ənd nɑːt ə ˈlɪtəl əˈlɑːrm/
Line 3
In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.
/ɪn wʌn ˈkɔːrnər ʌv ðə ruːm hiː praɪd ʌp ðə taɪlz ʌv ðə ˈflɔːrɪŋ fɔːr ðə speɪs ʌv ə skwer fʊt ənd kʌt əˈweɪ ðə ˈplæŋkɪŋ ˌʌndərˈniːθ ˈliːvɪŋ ˈnʌθɪŋ bʌt sʌm θɪn læθ ənd ˈplæstər bɪˈtwiːn ðem ənd ðə ruːm bɪˈloʊ/
Line 4
"Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.
Line 5
"We will be discovered and all will be lost!"
/wiː wɪl biː dɪˈskʌvərd ənd ɔːl wɪl biː lɔːst/

Learner Dictionary

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.

flooring noun US /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lath noun US /læθ/

a narrow thin strip of wood used as backing for plaster or to make latticework

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
planking noun US /ˈplæŋkɪŋ/

planks collectively; a quantity of planks

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plaster verb US /ˈplæstər/

apply a heavy coat to

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pried verb US /praɪd/

inflected form of “pry” — to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tiles noun US /taɪlz/

plural of “tile” — a flat thin rectangular slab (as of fired clay or rubber or linoleum) used to cover surfaces

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Toledo noun US /təˈliːdoʊ/

an industrial city in northwestern Ohio on Lake Erie

From this reading “THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underneath preposition US /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/

directly under, often hidden by what is above

From this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

first thing adjective + noun

In this reading “The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.”

15,960 times in 426,211 chapters
cut away verb + particle

move quickly to another scene or focus when filming

In this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

2,549 times in 426,211 chapters
in distress preposition + noun

In this reading “"Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.”

3,871 times in 426,211 chapters
for the space preposition + article + noun counted as “for … space”

In this reading “In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.”

4,866 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 73

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
alarmnounUS /əˈlɑːrm/

fear resulting from the awareness of danger

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading "We will be discovered and all will be lost!"

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Alonzo

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Pending verification
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "We will be discovered and all will be lost!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bladenounUS /bleɪd/

especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
considerableadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərəbəl/

large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading "We will be discovered and all will be lost!"

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
distressnounUS /dɪˈstres/

psychological suffering

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EAVESDROPPERS

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Pending verification
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flooringnounUS /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Gysbert

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Pending verification
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Jacqueline

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

Pending verification
keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lathnounUS /læθ/

a narrow thin strip of wood used as backing for plaster or to make latticework

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading "We will be discovered and all will be lost!"

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
plankingnounUS /ˈplæŋkɪŋ/

planks collectively; a quantity of planks

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plasterverbUS /ˈplæstər/

apply a heavy coat to

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PLOTnounUS /plɑːt/

a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
priedverbUS /praɪd/

inflected form of “pry” — to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
proposedverbUS /prəˈpoʊzd/

past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Rova's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Pending verification
sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
squareverbUS /skwer/

make square

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora curated lexicon
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tilesnounUS /taɪlz/

plural of “tile” — a flat thin rectangular slab (as of fired clay or rubber or linoleum) used to cover surfaces

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ToledonounUS /təˈliːdoʊ/

an industrial city in northwestern Ohio on Lake Erie

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/

directly under, often hidden by what is above

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading In one corner of the room he pried up the tiles of the flooring for the space of a square foot, and cut away the planking underneath, leaving nothing but some thin lath and plaster between them and the room below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading THE EAVESDROPPERS AND THE PLOT Gysbert did not keep his sister long in doubt as to the use he proposed to make of Alonzo de Rova's Toledo blade.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "We will be discovered and all will be lost!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "Oh, Gysbert! what art thou doing?" asked Jacqueline in distress.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "We will be discovered and all will be lost!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading The first thing he did caused her considerable wonder and not a little alarm.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 16 of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons by Augusta Huiell Seaman holds 119 sentences, grouped into 24 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.

What does chapter 16 of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons contain?

Chapter 16 holds 119 sentences of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons by Augusta Huiell Seaman exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 119 sentences, grouped into 24 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.

How do I study chapter 16 of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons?

Work through the 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 24 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.

Can chapter 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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.

Questions about reading Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons

Common questions about reading Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons by Augusta Huiell Seaman on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons?

Yes. All 2349 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #57466 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #57466, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons take to read?

About 195 minutes of reading across 470 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons section by section

How to work through Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons

Words and structures a reader meets early in Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Seaman
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Written
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Americans
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.