Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Robert Leighton • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE BAG OF GOLD During the further ride over the narrow stretch of prairie that they were crossing towards the foothills, Silk was uncommonly silent, volunteering no opinion concerning Charlie Fortescue.

Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

"Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

Percy asked abruptly.

Narrator

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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

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/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter II Reading 1/31

Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

Line 2

Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

/ˈpɜːrsi bɪˈɡæn tuː bɪˈliːv ðæt hɪz kəmˈpænjən rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd ðə keɪs æz ʌv noʊ əˈspeʃəl ˈɪntrəst ɔːr ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

Line 3

Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

/ˈiːvɪn wen ˈkwestʃənd ðə ˈsɑːrdʒənt ɡeɪv hɪm ˈlɪtəl ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

Line 4

"Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

Line 5

Percy asked abruptly.

/ˈpɜːrsi æskt əˈbrʌptli/

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.

especial adjective US /əˈspeʃəl/

surpassing what is common or usual or expected

From this reading “Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.”

foothills noun US /ˈfʊthɪlz/

plural of “foothill” — a relatively low hill on the lower slope of a mountain

From this reading “THE BAG OF GOLD During the further ride over the narrow stretch of prairie that they were crossing towards the foothills, Silk was uncommonly silent, volunteering no opinion concerning Charlie Fortescue.”

Percy noun US /ˈpɜːrsi/

United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)

From this reading “Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.”

prairie noun US /ˈpreri/

a treeless grassy plain

questioned verb US /ˈkwestʃənd/

past form of “question” — challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading “Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.”

stretch verb US /stretʃ/

occupy a large, elongated area

uncommonly adverb US /ˌʌnˈkɑːmənli/

exceptionally

volunteering verb US /ˌvɔːlənˈtɪrɪŋ/

-ing form of “volunteer” — tell voluntarily

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.

especial interest adjective + noun

In this reading “Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.”

opinion concerning noun + noun counted as “opinion concern”

In this reading “THE BAG OF GOLD During the further ride over the narrow stretch of prairie that they were crossing towards the foothills, Silk was uncommonly silent, volunteering no opinion concerning Charlie Fortescue.”

asked abruptly verb + particle counted as “ask abruptly”

In this reading “Percy asked abruptly.”

ride over verb + particle

stretch of verb + particle

All words in this reading · 58

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

abruptlyadverbUS /əˈbrʌptli/

quickly and without warning

From this reading Percy asked abruptly.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Percy asked abruptly.

BAGnounUS /bæɡ/

a flexible container with a single opening

From this reading THE BAG OF GOLD During the further ride over the narrow stretch of prairie that they were crossing towards the foothills, Silk was uncommonly silent, volunteering no opinion concerning Charlie Fortescue.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

Charlie

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

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

concerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

crossingnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/

traveling across

DuringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

especialadjectiveUS /əˈspeʃəl/

surpassing what is common or usual or expected

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

foothillsnounUS /ˈfʊthɪlz/

plural of “foothill” — a relatively low hill on the lower slope of a mountain

Fortescue

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

furtheradverbUS /ˈfɜːrðər/

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

GOLDnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

Haven't

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

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

PercynounUS /ˈpɜːrsi/

United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

prairienounUS /ˈpreri/

a treeless grassy plain

questionedverbUS /ˈkwestʃənd/

past form of “question” — challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

regardedverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪd/

past form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

rideverbUS /raɪd/

sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

satisfactionnounUS /ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

sergeantnounUS /ˈsɑːrdʒənt/

any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

SilknounUS /sɪlk/

a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae

stretchverbUS /stretʃ/

occupy a large, elongated area

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Percy began to believe that his companion regarded the case as of no especial interest or importance.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

uncommonlyadverbUS /ˌʌnˈkɑːmənli/

exceptionally

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

volunteeringverbUS /ˌvɔːlənˈtɪrɪŋ/

-ing form of “volunteer” — tell voluntarily

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Even when questioned, the sergeant gave him little satisfaction.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Haven't you made up your mind about it?"

Chapter 2 of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout by Robert Leighton holds 156 sentences, grouped into 32 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 2 of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout contain?

Chapter 2 holds 156 sentences of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout by Robert Leighton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 156 sentences, grouped into 32 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 2 of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout

Common questions about reading Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout by Robert Leighton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout?

Yes. All 2717 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #35180 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #35180, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout take to read?

About 226 minutes of reading across 544 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Sergeant Silk, the Prairie Scout

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Chapter II

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