Chapter 4 of Openings in the Old Trail is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Openings in the Old Trail is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully. “Did you think I was going to let her get bit? It might have killed her.” “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry. I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
Chapter 4 of Openings in the Old Trail is here in full — 172 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading ““Did you think I was going to let her get bit?”
-ing form of “correct” — make right or correct
From this reading “I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.”
inflected form of “forgive” — stop blaming or grant forgiveness
From this reading “I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.”
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading “I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.”
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading ““And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.”
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading “It might have killed her.””
king of Sparta and hero of the battle of Thermopylae where he was killed by the Persians (died in 480 BC)
From this reading ““Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.”
not mixed with extraneous elements
From this reading ““And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.”
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.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
-ing form of “correct” — make right or correct
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
inflected form of “forgive” — stop blaming or grant forgiveness
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
the act of departing
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It might have killed her.”
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It might have killed her.”
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading It might have killed her.”
king of Sparta and hero of the battle of Thermopylae where he was killed by the Persians (died in 480 BC)
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It might have killed her.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
in a reproving or reproachful manner
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Of course I did,” said Leonidas reproachfully.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
not mixed with extraneous elements
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And it might not have been an unmixed pleasure for William Henry.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I mean,” said Mr. Hamlin gravely, correcting himself, “YOU would never have forgiven him.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Did you think I was going to let her get bit?
Chapter 4 of Openings in the Old Trail by Bret Harte holds 172 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 4 holds 172 sentences of Openings in the Old Trail, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Openings in the Old Trail by Bret Harte exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 172 sentences, grouped into 35 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.
Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 35 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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.
Common questions about reading Openings in the Old Trail by Bret Harte on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3277 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2535 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2535, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 273 minutes of reading across 656 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Openings in the Old Trail section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Openings in the Old Trail to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Openings in the Old Trail, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
