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Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube
Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube is here in full — 114 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Louis Arundel • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.
But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.
“Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.
“That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.
“The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”
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.

Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube is here in full — 114 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.
/ðə nuːz ʌv wɔːr æt ˈbuːdəpest wen dʒæk meɪd ðɪs əˈstaʊndɪŋ ˈsteɪtmənt ðə ˈʌðər θriː sterd æt hɪm æz ðoʊ ðeɪ kʊd ˈhɑːrdli bɪˈliːv hiː wɑːz nɑːt ˈdʒoʊkɪŋ/
Line 2
But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.
/bʌt ðen dʒæk ˈseldəm əˈtemptɪd tuː pleɪ ə ˈpræktəkəl præŋk bɪˈsaɪdz ðeɪ kʊd siː ðæt hiː wɑːz ˈsɪriəsli dɪˈspoʊzd ənd ˈevədəntli ˈɡræplɪŋ wɪð wʌn ʌv ðə ˈlɑːrdʒəst ˌprɑːpəˈzɪʃənz ðæt hæd ˈevər feɪst hɪm/
Line 3
“Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.
/ðen ɪt miːnz ə wɜːrld wɔːr hæz bɪˈɡʌn dʌz ɪt ɡæspt ˈbʌstər ˈprezəntli wen hiː kʊd kætʃ hɪz breθ əˈɡen/
Line 4
“That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.
Line 5
“The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”
/ðə kraɪ ʌv wʊlf hæz bɪn hɜːrd fɔːr ðə læst taɪm ənd naʊ ðə biːst hæz kʌm/

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.

astounding adjective US /əˈstaʊndɪŋ/

bewildering or striking dumb with wonder

From this reading “THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
budapest noun US /ˈbuːdəpest/

capital and largest city of Hungary; located on the Danube River in north-central Hungary

From this reading “THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Buster noun US /ˈbʌstər/

an informal form of address for a man

From this reading ““Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grappling noun US /ˈɡræplɪŋ/

the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat

From this reading “But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
joking adjective US /ˈdʒoʊkɪŋ/

characterized by jokes and good humor

From this reading “THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
largest adjective US /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/

superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading “But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prank noun US /præŋk/

acting like a clown or buffoon

From this reading “But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
propositions noun US /ˌprɑːpəˈzɪʃənz/

plural of “proposition” — (logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false

From this reading “But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

stared at verb + particle counted as “stare at”

In this reading “THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.”

31,384 times in 225,867 chapters
last time adjective + noun

In this reading ““The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!””

17,976 times in 225,867 chapters
other three adjective + noun

In this reading “THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.”

2,803 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 80

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 But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
astoundingadjectiveUS /əˈstaʊndɪŋ/

bewildering or striking dumb with wonder

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attemptedadjectiveUS /əˈtemptɪd/

tried unsuccessfully

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beastnounUS /biːst/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BUDAPESTnounUS /ˈbuːdəpest/

capital and largest city of Hungary; located on the Danube River in north-central Hungary

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BusternounUS /ˈbʌstər/

an informal form of address for a man

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
catchverbUS /kætʃ/

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
disposedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspoʊzd/

having made preparations

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
facedadjectiveUS /feɪst/

having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gaspedverbUS /ɡæspt/

past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grapplingnounUS /ˈɡræplɪŋ/

the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
it's

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

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

Pending verification
JacknounUS /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jokingadjectiveUS /ˈdʒoʊkɪŋ/

characterized by jokes and good humor

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
largestadjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/

superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NEWSnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
practicaladjectiveUS /ˈpræktəkəl/

concerned with actual use or practice

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pranknounUS /præŋk/

acting like a clown or buffoon

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
presentlyadverbUS /ˈprezəntli/

in the near future

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
propositionsnounUS /ˌprɑːpəˈzɪʃənz/

plural of “proposition” — (logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
resultnounUS /rɪˈzʌlt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/

not often

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seriouslyadverbUS /ˈsɪriəsli/

in a serious manner

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
staredverbUS /sterd/

past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
statementnounUS /ˈsteɪtmənt/

a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
That's

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

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

Pending verification
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WARnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “That’s what it’s bound to result in,” Jack told him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE NEWS OF WAR AT BUDAPEST When Jack made this astounding statement the other three stared at him as though they could hardly believe he was not joking.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But then Jack seldom attempted to play a practical prank; besides, they could see that he was seriously disposed, and evidently grappling with one of the largest propositions that had ever faced him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wolfnounUS /wʊlf/

any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading “The cry of ‘wolf’ has been heard for the last time, and now the beast has come!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading “Then it means a world war has begun, does it?” gasped Buster presently, when he could catch his breath again.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 2 of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube by Louis Arundel holds 114 sentences, grouped into 23 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 2 of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube contain?

Chapter 2 holds 114 sentences of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube by Louis Arundel exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 114 sentences, grouped into 23 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 2 of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 2 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube

Common questions about reading Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube by Louis Arundel on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube?

Yes. All 2518 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #42191 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #42191, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube take to read?

About 209 minutes of reading across 504 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube section by section

How to work through Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 22 chapters of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube 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 Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube

Words and structures a reader meets early in Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Famous
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Budapest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cities
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Danube
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.