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Nid and Nod
Nid and Nod

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of Nid and Nod is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Ralph Henry Barbour • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Nid and Nod
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”
“Sir?”
Laurie looked blank.
Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.
Mr. Mulford laughed.
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.

Nid and Nod

Chapter X

Chapter 10 of Nid and Nod is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”
Line 2
“Sir?”
/sɜːr/
Line 3
Laurie looked blank.
Line 4
Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.
Line 5
Mr. Mulford laughed.

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.

bench noun US /bentʃ/

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
blank adjective US /blæŋk/

(of a surface) not written or printed on

From this reading “Laurie looked blank.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coach verb US /koʊtʃ/

teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports

From this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coach's noun US /ˈkoʊtʃɪz/

possessive form of “coach” — (sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grooming noun US /ˈɡruːmɪŋ/

activity leading to skilled behavior

From this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
phrase noun US /freɪz/

an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading “Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Turner noun US /ˈtɜːrnər/

United States slave and insurrectionist who in 1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia; he was captured and executed (1800-1831)

From this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vacant adjective US /ˈveɪkənt/

void of intelligence or thought

From this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

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.

vacant place adjective + noun

In this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

808 times in 426,212 chapters
on the bench preposition + article + noun counted as “on … bench”

In this reading “THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.””

8,058 times in 426,212 chapters

All words in this reading · 52

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 COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
benchnounUS /bentʃ/

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/

(of a surface) not written or printed on

From this reading Laurie looked blank.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
COACHverbUS /koʊtʃ/

teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coach'snounUS /ˈkoʊtʃɪz/

possessive form of “coach” — (sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
didn't

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

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Pending verification
getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
groomingnounUS /ˈɡruːmɪŋ/

activity leading to skilled behavior

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
jokenounUS /dʒoʊk/

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
kneesnounUS /niːz/

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading Mr. Mulford laughed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Laurie

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Pending verification
layingnounUS /ˈleɪɪŋ/

the production of eggs (especially in birds)

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Laurie looked blank.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MAKESnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
meaningnounUS /ˈmiːnɪŋ/

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Mulford laughed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mulford

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Pending verification
newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
phrasenounUS /freɪz/

an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Pinky's

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

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Pending verification
placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PROMISEverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading “Sir?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
somewhereadverbUS /ˈsʌmwer/

in or at or to some place

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TurnernounUS /ˈtɜːrnər/

United States slave and insurrectionist who in 1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia; he was captured and executed (1800-1831)

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/

void of intelligence or thought

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

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 Pinky’s smile told him that there was a joke somewhere about, but the phrase was a new one to him and he didn’t get the coach’s meaning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
you're

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

From this reading THE COACH MAKES A PROMISE “Turner,” said Coach Mulford, taking the vacant place on the bench beside Laurie and laying a hand on his knees, “Turner, they tell me you’re grooming a dark horse.”

Pending verification

Chapter 10 of Nid and Nod by Ralph Henry Barbour holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 10 of Nid and Nod contain?

Chapter 10 holds 148 sentences of Nid and Nod, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Nid and Nod by Ralph Henry Barbour exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 10 of Nid and Nod?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Nid and Nod

Common questions about reading Nid and Nod by Ralph Henry Barbour on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Nid and Nod?

Yes. All 5122 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #71633 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Nid and Nod is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #71633, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Nid and Nod take to read?

About 426 minutes of reading across 1025 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Nid and Nod section by section

How to work through Nid and Nod section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Nid and Nod

Words and structures a reader meets early in Nid and Nod, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nid and Nod; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tinkled
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nid and Nod; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Opened
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nid and Nod; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Closed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nid and Nod; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.