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Old Mother West Wind
Old Mother West Wind

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Old Mother West Wind is here in full — 55 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Old Mother West Wind
Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.
She had had a very busy day.
Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.
Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Wind had been very, very busy.
Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.
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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.

Old Mother West Wind

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Old Mother West Wind is here in full — 55 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.
Line 2
She had had a very busy day.
/ʃiː hæd hæd ə ˈveri ˈbɪzi deɪ/
Line 3
Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.
/ˈevər sɪns ˈɜːrli ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ʃiː hæd bɪn ˈpʌfɪŋ aʊt ðə waɪt seɪlz ʌv ðə ʃɪps ɑːn ðə bɪɡ ˈoʊʃən soʊ ðæt ðeɪ kʊd ɡoʊ ˈfæstər ʃiː hæd kept ɔːl ðə bɪɡ ənd ˈlɪtəl waɪnd mɪlz ˈwɜːrlɪŋ ənd ˈwɜːrlɪŋ tuː pʌmp ˈwɔːtər fɔːr ˈθɜːrsti foʊks ənd ɡraɪnd kɔːrn fɔːr ˈhʌŋɡri foʊks ʃiː hæd bloʊn əˈweɪ ɔːl ðə smoʊk frʌm tɔːl ˈtʃɪmniz ənd ˈendʒənz ənd ˈstiːmboʊts/
Line 4
Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Wind had been very, very busy.
/jes ˌɪnˈdiːd oʊld ˈmʌðər west waɪnd hæd bɪn ˈveri ˈveri ˈbɪzi/
Line 5
Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.
/naʊ ʃiː wɑːz ˈkʌmɪŋ əˈkrɔːs ðə ɡriːn ˈmedoʊz ɑːn hɜːr weɪ tuː hɜːr hoʊm bɪˈhaɪnd ðə ˈpɜːrpəl hɪlz ənd æz ʃiː keɪm ʃiː ˈoʊpənd ðə bɪɡ bæɡ ʃiː ˈkærid ənd kɔːld tuː hɜːr ˈtʃɪldrən ðə ˈmeri ˈlɪtəl ˈbriːzɪz huː hæd bɪn ˈpleɪɪŋ hɑːrd ɑːn ðə ɡriːn ˈmedoʊz ɔːl ðə lɔːŋ deɪ/

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.

Breezes noun US /ˈbriːzɪz/

plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading “Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.”

chimneys noun US /ˈtʃɪmniz/

plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

engines noun US /ˈendʒənz/

plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

grind verb US /ɡraɪnd/

press or grind with a crushing noise

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

puffing noun US /ˈpʌfɪŋ/

blowing tobacco smoke out into the air

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

pump verb US /pʌmp/

operate like a pump; move up and down, like a handle or a pedal

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

sales noun US /seɪlz/

income (at invoice values) received for goods and services over some given period of time

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

steamboats noun US /ˈstiːmboʊts/

plural of “steamboat” — a boat propelled by a steam engine

From this reading “Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.”

All words in this reading · 87

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 Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

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 Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

bagnounUS /bæɡ/

a flexible container with a single opening

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

bitnounUS /bɪt/

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

blownadjectiveUS /bloʊn/

being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

BreezesnounUS /ˈbriːzɪz/

plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading She had had a very busy day.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

chimneysnounUS /ˈtʃɪmniz/

plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

cornnounUS /kɔːrn/

tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

crossverbUS /krɔːs/

travel across or pass over

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading She had had a very busy day.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

enginesnounUS /ˈendʒənz/

plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

EveradverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

fasteradverbUS /ˈfæstər/

more quickly

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

folksnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

GreennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

grindverbUS /ɡraɪnd/

press or grind with a crushing noise

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She had had a very busy day.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

HillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

hungryadjectiveUS /ˈhʌŋɡri/

feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Wind had been very, very busy.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

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 Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

MeadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

MerryadjectiveUS /ˈmeri/

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

millsnounUS /mɪlz/

United States architect who was the presidentially appointed architect of Washington D.C. (1781-1855)

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

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

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

oceannounUS /ˈoʊʃən/

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

playingnounUS /ˈpleɪɪŋ/

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

puffingnounUS /ˈpʌfɪŋ/

blowing tobacco smoke out into the air

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

pumpverbUS /pʌmp/

operate like a pump; move up and down, like a handle or a pedal

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

PurplenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəl/

a purple color or pigment

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

salesnounUS /seɪlz/

income (at invoice values) received for goods and services over some given period of time

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

shipsnounUS /ʃɪps/

plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

smokenounUS /smoʊk/

a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

steamboatsnounUS /ˈstiːmboʊts/

plural of “steamboat” — a boat propelled by a steam engine

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

thirstyadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːrsti/

needing moisture

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading She had had a very busy day.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

weeadjectiveUS /wiː/

(used informally) very small

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

WestnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

whirlingnounUS /ˈwɜːrlɪŋ/

the act of rotating in a circle or spiral

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading Ever since early morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall chimneys and engines and steamboats.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day.

WindnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross because she was tired.

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Wind had been very, very busy.

Chapter 5 of Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 55 sentences, grouped into 11 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 5 of Old Mother West Wind contain?

Chapter 5 holds 55 sentences of Old Mother West Wind, unabridged, divided into 11 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 55 sentences, grouped into 11 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 5 of Old Mother West Wind?

Work through the 11 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 11 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Old Mother West Wind

Common questions about reading Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Old Mother West Wind?

Yes. All 1025 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2557 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Old Mother West Wind is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2557, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Old Mother West Wind take to read?

About 85 minutes of reading across 205 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Old Mother West Wind section by section

How to work through Old Mother West Wind section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of Old Mother West Wind 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 Old Mother West Wind

Words and structures a reader meets early in Old Mother West Wind, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Mother West Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Purple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Mother West Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hills
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Mother West Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Golden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Old Mother West Wind; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.