Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Sawtooth Ranch
Sawtooth Ranch

Chapter XII

Cover illustration for Sawtooth Ranch
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.
The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.
Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.
Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.
Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.
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.

Sawtooth Ranch

Chapter XII

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

Line 1
THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.
Line 2
The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.
Line 3
Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.
Line 4
Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.
Line 5
Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Another noun US /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.”

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.”

FIRST noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.”

Standing noun US /ˈstanding/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.”

Within preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.”

All words in this reading · 82

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

AnothernounUS /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

BLOW

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

cabin

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

came

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

car

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

dark

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

dimmed

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

door

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

down

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

drove

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

fearing

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

figure

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

FIRSTnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

foolish

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

Frank

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

front

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

gate

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

glimpsed

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

hastily

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

heard

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

hope

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

hoping

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

Jim

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

jumped

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

kerosene

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

lamp

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

light

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

lights

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

looking

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

Lorraine

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

low

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

meet

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

men

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

opened

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

out

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

PARRIES

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

QUIRT

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

ran

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

rattle

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

revealed

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

ridge

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

saw

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

shirt

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

shorter

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

sleeves

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

Sorry

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

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

standingnounUS /ˈstanding/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

stepped

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

striding

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

Swan

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

table

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Behind Frank, Lorraine saw Jim and Sorry standing in their shirt sleeves looking out into the dark.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

two

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

From this reading Another, shorter figure she glimpsed as Frank and the two men stepped out and came striding hastily toward them.

wagon

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Lorraine jumped out and ran to meet them, hoping and fearing that her hope was foolish.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE QUIRT PARRIES THE FIRST BLOW A car with dimmed lights stood in front of the Quirt cabin when Swan drove around the last low ridge and down to the gate.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.

yellow

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

From this reading The rattle of the wagon must have been heard, for the door opened suddenly and Frank stood revealed in the yellow light of the kerosene lamp on the table within.