Chapter 8 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other. I'm sure it was about me. Well, let it go. I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again. If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
Chapter 8 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/28 · 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.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading “If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.”
possessive form of “helen” — (Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading “HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.”
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading “HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.”
staying power
From this reading “I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.”
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading “HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.”
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading “HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.”
cause to move by pulling
From this reading “I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.”
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading “I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I'm sure it was about me.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
anew
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
(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 If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
a quad with a square body
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Well, let it go.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
possessive form of “helen” — (Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm sure it was about me.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I'm sure it was about me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
staying power
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Well, let it go.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I'm sure it was about me.
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
being perceived or observed
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
above and across; more than
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
express in words
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading I'm sure it was about me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I'm sure it was about me.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Well, let it go.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading If he does he'll have to pull 'em so far that it will be noticed all over, and he can't say it was an accident.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did the trick, and I guess he won't pull his legs away again.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading HELEN'S LETTER "Now I wonder," mused Joe as he leaped out of the net, "what they said to each other.
Chapter 8 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze by Vance Barnum holds 140 sentences, grouped into 28 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 8 holds 140 sentences of Joe Strong on the Trapeze, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Joe Strong on the Trapeze by Vance Barnum exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 140 sentences, grouped into 28 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 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 28 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 8 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 Joe Strong on the Trapeze by Vance Barnum on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3577 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28642 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #28642, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 298 minutes of reading across 716 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Joe Strong on the Trapeze section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 25 chapters of Joe Strong on the Trapeze 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 Joe Strong on the Trapeze, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
