Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Selected Stories of Bret Harte
Selected Stories of Bret Harte

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Selected Stories of Bret Harte is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Selected Stories of Bret Harte
Context Illustration Reading 1/57 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The long wet season had drawn near its close.
Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.
The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.
The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.
On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.
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.

Selected Stories of Bret Harte

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Selected Stories of Bret Harte is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The long wet season had drawn near its close.
/ðə lɔːŋ wet ˈsiːzən hæd drɔːn nɪr ɪts kloʊs/
Line 2
Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.
/saɪnz ʌv sprɪŋ wɜːr ˈvɪzəbəl ɪn ðə ˈswelɪŋ bʌdz ənd ˈrʌʃɪŋ ˈtɔːrənts/
Line 3
The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.
Line 4
The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.
Line 5
On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

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.

azaleas noun US /əˈzeɪljəz/

plural of “azalea” — any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors

From this reading “The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.”

budding noun US /ˈbʌdɪŋ/

reproduction of some unicellular organisms (such as yeasts) by growth and specialization followed by the separation by constriction of a part of the parent

From this reading “The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.”

buds noun US /bʌdz/

plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower

From this reading “Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.”

exhaled verb US /eksˈheɪld/

past form of “exhale” — expel air

From this reading “The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.”

fresher noun US /ˈfreʃər/

a first-year undergraduate

From this reading “The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.”

lilac noun US /ˈlaɪlæk/

any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers

From this reading “The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.”

torrents noun US /ˈtɔːrənts/

plural of “torrent” — a heavy rain

From this reading “Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.”

upland adjective US /ˈʌplənd/

used of high or hilly country

From this reading “On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.”

All words in this reading · 56

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.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

aspectnounUS /ˈæspekt/

a distinct feature or element in a problem

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

azaleasnounUS /əˈzeɪljəz/

plural of “azalea” — any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

bellsnounUS /belz/

plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

broad-leavedadjective

having relatively broad rather than needlelike or scalelike leaves

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

buddingnounUS /ˈbʌdɪŋ/

reproduction of some unicellular organisms (such as yeasts) by growth and specialization followed by the separation by constriction of a part of the parent

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

budsnounUS /bʌdz/

plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

ceanothus

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

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

climbedverbUS /klaɪmd/

past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

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

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

dark-blueadjective

of a dark shade of blue

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

exhaledverbUS /eksˈheɪld/

past form of “exhale” — expel air

From this reading The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/

plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.

freshernounUS /ˈfreʃər/

a first-year undergraduate

From this reading The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

lilacnounUS /ˈlaɪlæk/

any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

liverynounUS /ˈlɪvəri/

uniform worn by some menservants and chauffeurs

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

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 The long wet season had drawn near its close.

monkshoodnoun

a poisonous herb native to northern Europe having hooded blue-purple flowers; the dried leaves and roots yield aconite

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

MountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

pinenounUS /paɪn/

a coniferous tree

From this reading The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading The azaleas were already budding, the ceanothus getting ready its lilac livery for spring.

RednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

rushingnounUS /ˈrʌʃɪŋ/

(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

seasonnounUS /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

shotnounUS /ʃɑːt/

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

SignsnounUS /saɪnz/

plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

southernadjectiveUS /ˈsʌðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

spicerynoun

the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored

From this reading The pine forests exhaled the fresher spicery.

spikenounUS /spaɪk/

a transient variation in voltage or current

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

stoolnounUS /stuːl/

a simple seat without a back or arms

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

swellingnounUS /ˈswelɪŋ/

an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

torrentsnounUS /ˈtɔːrənts/

plural of “torrent” — a heavy rain

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

uplandadjectiveUS /ˈʌplənd/

used of high or hilly country

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

visibleadjectiveUS /ˈvɪzəbəl/

capable of being seen; or open to easy view

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Signs of spring were visible in the swelling buds and rushing torrents.

wetadjectiveUS /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading The long wet season had drawn near its close.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading On the green upland which climbed Red Mountain at its southern aspect the long spike of the monkshood shot up from its broad-leaved stool, and once more shook its dark-blue bells.

Chapter 4 of Selected Stories of Bret Harte by Bret Harte holds 288 sentences, grouped into 58 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 Selected Stories of Bret Harte contain?

Chapter 4 holds 288 sentences of Selected Stories of Bret Harte, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Selected Stories of Bret Harte by Bret Harte exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 288 sentences, grouped into 58 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 Selected Stories of Bret Harte?

Work through the 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 58 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 Selected Stories of Bret Harte

Common questions about reading Selected Stories of Bret Harte by Bret Harte on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Selected Stories of Bret Harte?

Yes. All 4500 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1312 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Selected Stories of Bret Harte is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1312, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Selected Stories of Bret Harte take to read?

About 375 minutes of reading across 900 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Selected Stories of Bret Harte section by section

How to work through Selected Stories of Bret Harte section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of Selected Stories of Bret Harte 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 Selected Stories of Bret Harte

Words and structures a reader meets early in Selected Stories of Bret Harte, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Where
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Selected Stories of Bret Harte; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sierra
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Selected Stories of Bret Harte; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nevada
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Selected Stories of Bret Harte; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Begins
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Selected Stories of Bret Harte; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.