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Signing the Contract, and What It Cost
Signing the Contract, and What It Cost

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Signing the Contract, and What It Cost
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A WANDERER.
“Lost! lost! lost!”
The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.
A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.
Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Signing the Contract, and What It Cost

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
A WANDERER.
/ə ˈwɑːndərər/
Line 2
“Lost! lost! lost!”
/lɔːst lɔːst lɔːst/
Line 3
The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.
/ðə sʌn hæd set əˈmɪd ˈæŋɡri klaʊdz diːp ˈʃædoʊz ɔːlˈredi fɪld ðə ˈriːsesəz ʌv ðə ˈfɔːrəst θruː wɪtʃ ðə ˈaɪərn hɔːrs went ˈθʌndərɪŋ ɑːn ɪts weɪ waɪl æn ˈaɪsi waɪnd ˈbrɪŋɪŋ wɪð ɪt ˈfriːkwənt ˈdæʃɪz ʌv reɪn ənd sliːt swept θruː ðə ˈliːfləs ˈbræntʃəz ʌv ðə triːz ˈtɔːsɪŋ ðem ˈwaɪldli əˈɡenst ə dʌl ˈledən skaɪ/
Line 4
A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.
/ə ˈleɪdi ˈɡeɪzɪŋ aʊt ˈɪntuː ðə ˈɡæðərɪŋ ɡluːm ˈstɑːrtɪd wɪð ə ˈsʌdən ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən ʌv sərˈpraɪz ənd dɪˈsmeɪ/
Line 5
Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.
/hɜːr ˈhʌzbənd liːnd ˈheɪstəli pæst hɜːr tuː siː wʌt hæd kɔːld ɪt fɔːrθ ðen wɪð ə smaɪl æt hɪz oʊn ˈfɑːli ɪn fərˈɡetɪŋ ðæt æt ðə reɪt ʌv spiːd wɪð wɪtʃ ðeɪ wɜːr ˈmuːvɪŋ ðə ˈɑːbdʒekt ˌwʌˈtevər ɪt maɪt biː wɑːz ɔːlˈredi aʊt ʌv saɪt ˈsetəld hɪmˈself bæk əˈɡen ˈbendɪŋ ə lʊk ʌv maɪld ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː əˈpɑːn hɜːr ˈædʒəteɪtɪd ˈkaʊntənəns/

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.

dashes noun US /ˈdæʃɪz/

plural of “dash” — distinctive and stylish elegance

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

leaden adjective US /ˈledən/

darkened with overcast

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

leafless adjective US /ˈliːfləs/

having no leaves

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

recesses noun US /ˈriːsesəz/

plural of “recess” — a state of abeyance or suspended business

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

sleet noun US /sliːt/

partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow)

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

thundering adjective US /ˈθʌndərɪŋ/

sounding like thunder

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

tossing verb US /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/

-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

wanderer noun US /ˈwɑːndərər/

someone who leads a wandering unsettled life

From this reading “A WANDERER.”

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.

leaden sky adjective + noun

In this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

gathering gloom noun + noun

In this reading “A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.”

icy wind adjective + noun

In this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

sudden exclamation adjective + noun

In this reading “A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.”

deep shadows adjective + noun counted as “deep shadow”

In this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

own folly verb + noun

In this reading “Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.”

recesses of verb + particle counted as “recess of”

In this reading “The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.”

at the rate preposition + article + noun counted as “at … rate”

In this reading “Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 A WANDERER.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

agitatedadjectiveUS /ˈædʒəteɪtɪd/

troubled emotionally and usually deeply

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/

feeling or showing anger

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

bendingnounUS /ˈbendɪŋ/

movement that causes the formation of a curve

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

branchesnounUS /ˈbræntʃəz/

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

bringingnounUS /ˈbrɪŋɪŋ/

the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

cloudsnounUS /klaʊdz/

plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

countenancenounUS /ˈkaʊntənəns/

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

dashesnounUS /ˈdæʃɪz/

plural of “dash” — distinctive and stylish elegance

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

dismaynounUS /dɪˈsmeɪ/

the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/

an abrupt excited utterance

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

follynounUS /ˈfɑːli/

the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

forestnounUS /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

forgettingverbUS /fərˈɡetɪŋ/

inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

frequentverbUS /ˈfriːkwənt/

do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

gatheringnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/

a group of persons together in one place

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

gloomnounUS /ɡluːm/

a state of partial or total darkness

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

hastilyadverbUS /ˈheɪstəli/

in a hurried or hasty manner

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/

devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/

a search for knowledge

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

ironnounUS /ˈaɪərn/

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

leadenadjectiveUS /ˈledən/

darkened with overcast

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

leaflessadjectiveUS /ˈliːfləs/

having no leaves

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

leanedverbUS /liːnd/

past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

LostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading “Lost! lost! lost!”

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

movingadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

in motion

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

rainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

ratenounUS /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

recessesnounUS /ˈriːsesəz/

plural of “recess” — a state of abeyance or suspended business

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

shadowsnounUS /ˈʃædoʊz/

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

sleetnounUS /sliːt/

partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow)

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

speedverbUS /spiːd/

move hurridly

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

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

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden exclamation of surprise and dismay.

sweptadjectiveUS /swept/

possessing sweep

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

thunderingadjectiveUS /ˈθʌndərɪŋ/

sounding like thunder

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

tossingverbUS /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/

-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

WANDERERnounUS /ˈwɑːndərər/

someone who leads a wandering unsettled life

From this reading A WANDERER.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading Her husband leaned hastily past her to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated countenance.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/

to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

Chapter 2 of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost by Martha Finley holds 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 Signing the Contract, and What It Cost contain?

Chapter 2 holds 155 sentences of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost by Martha Finley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 Signing the Contract, and What It Cost?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 Signing the Contract, and What It Cost

Common questions about reading Signing the Contract, and What It Cost by Martha Finley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost?

Yes. All 4162 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48249 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48249, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Signing the Contract, and What It Cost take to read?

About 346 minutes of reading across 833 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Signing the Contract, and What It Cost section by section

How to work through Signing the Contract, and What It Cost section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Signing the Contract, and What It Cost

Words and structures a reader meets early in Signing the Contract, and What It Cost, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Version
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Signing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Contract
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Words
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Signing the Contract, and What It Cost; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.