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Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian
Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Lucy [Translator] Byng • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian
Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.
We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.
I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.
In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.
"We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.
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.

Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian 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
"Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.
/ˈwɪspərɪŋ ðʌs ˈsiːkrɪtli wiː wʊd ɡlæns ˈoʊvər ˈaʊər ˈʃoʊldərz/
Line 2
We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.
Line 3
I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.
/aɪ ˈpɪktʃərd hɪm dʒʌst laɪk maɪ ˈfɑːðər ˈprɑːbəbliː bɪˈkɔːz maɪ ˈfɑːðər tuː wɑːz ə ˈstraɪkɪŋ ˈfɪɡjər/
Line 4
In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.
Line 5
"We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.
/wiː hæd ə haʊs dʒʌst ɑːn ðə ˈaʊtskɜːrts ʌv ðə ˈvɪlədʒ sərˈaʊndɪd baɪ ə biːtʃ wʊd ðə ˈʃædoʊz ʌv wɪtʃ hʌŋ ˈdɑːrkli əˈbʌv ˈaʊər hedz/

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.

beech noun US /biːtʃ/

any of several large deciduous trees with rounded spreading crowns and smooth grey bark and small sweet edible triangular nuts enclosed in burs; north temperate regions

From this reading “"We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
darkly adverb US /ˈdɑːrkli/

without light

From this reading “"We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
outskirts noun US /ˈaʊtskɜːrts/

outlying areas (as of a city or town)

From this reading “"We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pictured adjective US /ˈpɪktʃərd/

seen in the mind as a mental image

From this reading “I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pistols noun US /ˈpɪstəlz/

plural of “pistol” — a firearm that is held and fired with one hand

From this reading “In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shiver verb US /ˈʃɪvər/

tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement

From this reading “We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sleeves noun US /sliːvz/

plural of “sleeve” — the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm

From this reading “In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thicket noun US /ˈθɪkɪt/

a dense growth of bushes

From this reading “We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.”

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.

on the outskirts preposition + article + noun counted as “on … outskirts”

In this reading “"We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.”

2,337 times in 426,211 chapters
striking figure adjective + noun

In this reading “I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.”

252 times in 426,211 chapters
remained alone verb + adjective counted as “remain alone”

In this reading “In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.”

1,349 times in 426,211 chapters
glance over verb + particle

examine hastily

In this reading “"Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.”

5,464 times in 426,211 chapters
on the road preposition + article + noun counted as “on … road”

travelling about

In this reading “In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.”

18,540 times in 426,211 chapters
deal of verb + particle

In this reading “In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.”

46,725 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 84

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 We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
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 In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora curated lexicon
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
appearverbUS /əˈpɪr/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beechnounUS /biːtʃ/

any of several large deciduous trees with rounded spreading crowns and smooth grey bark and small sweet edible triangular nuts enclosed in burs; north temperate regions

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beltnounUS /belt/

endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
capnounUS /kæp/

a tight-fitting headdress

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coatnounUS /koʊt/

an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

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

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

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
darklyadverbUS /ˈdɑːrkli/

without light

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dealverbUS /diːl/

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flowingnounUS /ˈfloʊɪŋ/

the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

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

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

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hungverbUS /hʌŋ/

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/

filled with a great quantity

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

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

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outskirtsnounUS /ˈaʊtskɜːrts/

outlying areas (as of a city or town)

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/

an amount of time

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
picturedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərd/

seen in the mind as a mental image

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pistolsnounUS /ˈpɪstəlz/

plural of “pistol” — a firearm that is held and fired with one hand

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
probablyadverbUS /ˈprɑːbəbliː/

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
secretlyadverbUS /ˈsiːkrɪtli/

in secrecy; not openly

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shadowsnounUS /ˈʃædoʊz/

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/

tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shouldersnounUS /ˈʃoʊldərz/

plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sleevesnounUS /sliːvz/

plural of “sleeve” — the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tax-gatherers

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

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Pending verification
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

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 We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/

a dense growth of bushes

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

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 I pictured him just like my father, probably because my father, too, was a striking figure.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
weeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whenceadverbUS /wens/

an old word meaning “from where”

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In a coat with long flowing sleeves, his cap on one side, and his belt loaded with pistols, my father--like all tax-gatherers at that period--was on the road a great deal of his time, so that my mother and I remained alone for weeks on end.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading "We had a house just on the outskirts of the village surrounded by a beech wood, the shadows of which hung darkly above our heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading "Whispering thus secretly, we would glance over our shoulders.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Zidra

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

From this reading We would shiver as though we could feel a cold breath from the dark thicket whence Zidra might appear.

Pending verification

Chapter 4 of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian by Lucy [Translator] Byng 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 4 of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian contain?

Chapter 4 holds 428 sentences of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian by Lucy [Translator] Byng 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 4 of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian?

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 4 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian

Common questions about reading Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian by Lucy [Translator] Byng on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian?

Yes. All 4363 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38991 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38991, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian take to read?

About 363 minutes of reading across 873 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian section by section

How to work through Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian 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 Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian

Words and structures a reader meets early in Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Roumanian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stories
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Translated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.