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Laddie: A True Blue Story
Laddie: A True Blue Story

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Laddie: A True Blue Story is here in full — 654 sentences across 131 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Laddie: A True Blue Story
Context Illustration Reading 1/130 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."
That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.
A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.
I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.
He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Laddie: A True Blue Story

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Laddie: A True Blue Story is here in full — 654 sentences across 131 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/130 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."
Line 2
That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.
Line 3
A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.
/ə ˈkʌntri roʊd wɑːz ɔːl raɪt ənd ɪt wɑːz ɡʊd ɪˈnʌf ɪf ɪt hæd bɪn hiːpt ʌp ˈlevəld ənd ˈplenti ʌv ˈɡrævəl pʊt ɑːn ənd ʌv kɔːrs ˈaʊər roʊd wʊd biː faɪn bɪˈkɔːz ˈfɑːðər wɑːz wʌn ʌv ðə kəˈmɪʃənərz ənd æz lɔːŋ æz hiː fɪld ðæt ˈɔːfɪs ˈevəri roʊd ɪn ðə ˈkaʊnti wʊd biː dʒʌst æz faɪn æz ðə lɔː wʊd əˈlaʊ hɪm tuː meɪk ɪt/
Line 4
I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.
Line 5
He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".
/hiː sed ˈaʊər ˈlæŋɡwədʒ wɑːz ˈfaʊndɪd ɑːn ðə ˈælfəbet ənd tuː ˈmæstər ɪt juː hæd tuː bɪˈɡɪn wɪð ə/

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.

alphabet noun US /ˈælfəbet/

a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language

From this reading “He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".”

commissioners noun US /kəˈmɪʃənərz/

plural of “commissioner” — a government administrator

From this reading “A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.”

founded verb US /ˈfaʊndɪd/

past form of “found” — set up or found

From this reading “He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".”

gravel noun US /ˈɡrævəl/

rock fragments and pebbles

From this reading “A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.”

heaped verb US /hiːpt/

past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities

From this reading “A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.”

leveled verb US /ˈlevəld/

past form of “level” — aim at

From this reading “A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.”

mite noun US /maɪt/

a slight but appreciable amount

From this reading “I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.”

plow verb US /plaʊ/

to break and turn over earth especially with a plow

From this reading “The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."”

All words in this reading · 106

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 A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

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 A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

allowverbUS /əˈlaʊ/

make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

alphabetnounUS /ˈælfəbet/

a character set that includes letters and is used to write a language

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

bentnounUS /bent/

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

commissionersnounUS /kəˈmɪʃənərz/

plural of “commissioner” — a government administrator

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

contentnounUS /ˈkɑːntent/

(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

couldn't

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

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

countynounUS /ˈkaʊnti/

(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

didn't

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

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

foundedverbUS /ˈfaʊndɪd/

past form of “found” — set up or found

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

GardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/

rock fragments and pebbles

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

heapedverbUS /hiːpt/

past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

I'd

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

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/

a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

lawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

leetle

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

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

leveledverbUS /ˈlevəld/

past form of “level” — aim at

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

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 A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

masternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

merrimentnoun

a gay feeling

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

mitenounUS /maɪt/

a slight but appreciable amount

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

nationnounUS /ˈneɪʃən/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

plentynounUS /ˈplenti/

a full supply

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

plowverbUS /plaʊ/

to break and turn over earth especially with a plow

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

requiredadjectiveUS /riˈkwaɪərd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

spentadjectiveUS /spent/

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

stopverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

stretchedadjectiveUS /stretʃt/

(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading That spring I decided if school didn't stop pretty soon, I'd run away again, and I didn't in the least care what they did to me.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

upbuild

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

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

usefuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːsfəl/

being of use or service

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading I have even heard him tell mother that he "stretched it a leetle mite," when he was forced to by people who couldn't seem to be made to understand what was required to upbuild a nation.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Garden of the Lord "With what content and merriment, Their days are spent, whose minds are bent To follow the useful plow."

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading A country road was all right and it was good enough, if it had been heaped up, leveled and plenty of gravel put on; and of course our road would be fine, because father was one of the commissioners, and as long as he filled that office, every road in the county would be just as fine as the law would allow him to make it.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading He said our language was founded on the alphabet, and to master it you had to begin with "a".

Chapter 13 of Laddie: A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter holds 654 sentences, grouped into 131 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 13 of Laddie: A True Blue Story contain?

Chapter 13 holds 654 sentences of Laddie: A True Blue Story, unabridged, divided into 131 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Laddie: A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 654 sentences, grouped into 131 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 13 of Laddie: A True Blue Story?

Work through the 131 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 131 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Laddie: A True Blue Story

Common questions about reading Laddie: A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Laddie: A True Blue Story?

Yes. All 8921 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #286 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Laddie: A True Blue Story is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #286, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Laddie: A True Blue Story take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1785 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Laddie: A True Blue Story section by section

How to work through Laddie: A True Blue Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Laddie: A True Blue Story 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 Laddie: A True Blue Story

Words and structures a reader meets early in Laddie: A True Blue Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Another
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laddie: A True Blue Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Child-world
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laddie: A True Blue Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Share
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laddie: A True Blue Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Laddie: A True Blue Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.