On the Iron at Big Cloud

Chapter VII

Chapter 7 of On the Iron at Big Cloud is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Frank L. (Frank Lucius) Packard • Curated US English Learning Edition

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English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

But, somehow, Coogan’s eyes and Coogan’s face said “no” to him as they did to every other man, and as the days passed, almost a month of them, Regan shook his head, perplexed and troubled, for he was fond of Coogan.

Then, one night, it happened.

Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

It was getting close on to eleven-thirty.

Narrator

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LEARNER DICTIONARY

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter VII Reading 1/85

On the Iron at Big Cloud

Chapter VII

Chapter 7 of On the Iron at Big Cloud is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

/ənd hiː ment tuː ment tuː ˈɑːnəstli/

Line 2

Line 3

Then, one night, it happened.

/ðen wʌn naɪt ɪt ˈhæpənd/

Line 4

Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

Line 5

It was getting close on to eleven-thirty.

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.

dispatcher noun US /dɪˈspætʃər/

the official who signals the beginning of a race or competition

From this reading “Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.”

fond adjective US /fɑːnd/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading “But, somehow, Coogan’s eyes and Coogan’s face said “no” to him as they did to every other man, and as the days passed, almost a month of them, Regan shook his head, perplexed and troubled, for he was fond of Coogan.”

headquarters noun US /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/

(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise

From this reading “Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.”

honestly adverb US /ˈɑːnəstli/

(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that

From this reading “And he meant to, meant to, honestly.”

month noun US /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

perplexed adjective US /pərˈplekst/

full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment

somehow adverb US /ˈsʌmhaʊ/

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

troubled adjective US /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

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.

next room adjective + noun

In this reading “Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.”

at headquarters preposition + noun

In this reading “Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.”

other man adjective + noun

In this reading “But, somehow, Coogan’s eyes and Coogan’s face said “no” to him as they did to every other man, and as the days passed, almost a month of them, Regan shook his head, perplexed and troubled, for he was fond of Coogan.”

All words in this reading · 60

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, somehow, Coogan’s eyes and Coogan’s face said “no” to him as they did to every other man, and as the days passed, almost a month of them, Regan shook his head, perplexed and troubled, for he was fond of Coogan.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

Carleton

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

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading It was getting close on to eleven-thirty.

Coogan

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

Coogan's

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

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

dispatchernounUS /dɪˈspætʃər/

the official who signals the beginning of a race or competition

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

eleven-thirty

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

From this reading It was getting close on to eleven-thirty.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

fondadjectiveUS /fɑːnd/

having or displaying warmth or affection

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading It was getting close on to eleven-thirty.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading Then, one night, it happened.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

headquartersnounUS /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/

(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

honestlyadverbUS /ˈɑːnəstli/

(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that

From this reading And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Then, one night, it happened.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

meantverbUS /ment/

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

monthnounUS /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Then, one night, it happened.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was getting close on to eleven-thirty.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Then, one night, it happened.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

pedro

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

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

perplexedadjectiveUS /pərˈplekst/

full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment

Regan

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

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

somehowadverbUS /ˈsʌmhaʊ/

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

Spence

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

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, one night, it happened.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And he meant to, meant to, honestly.

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Regan and Carleton were alone over their pedro at headquarters, except for Spence, the dispatcher, in the next room.

Chapter 7 of On the Iron at Big Cloud by Frank L. (Frank Lucius) Packard holds 428 sentences, grouped into 86 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 7 of On the Iron at Big Cloud contain?

Chapter 7 holds 428 sentences of On the Iron at Big Cloud, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of On the Iron at Big Cloud by Frank L. (Frank Lucius) Packard exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 428 sentences, grouped into 86 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 7 of On the Iron at Big Cloud?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 On the Iron at Big Cloud

Common questions about reading On the Iron at Big Cloud by Frank L. (Frank Lucius) Packard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of On the Iron at Big Cloud?

Yes. All 5491 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54111 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of On the Iron at Big Cloud is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #54111, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does On the Iron at Big Cloud take to read?

About 457 minutes of reading across 1099 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in On the Iron at Big Cloud

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Prospect: A word that appears in the opening chapter of On the Iron at Big Cloud; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
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General: A word that appears in the opening chapter of On the Iron at Big Cloud; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter VII

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