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Sparrows
Sparrows

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Sparrows is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Marie Coolidge-Rask • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Sparrows
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.
Someone was calling to him.
He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.
"Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.
"Don't draw that money, yet.
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.

Sparrows

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Sparrows is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.
Line 2
Someone was calling to him.
/ˈsʌmwʌn wɑːz ˈkɔːlɪŋ tuː hɪm/
Line 3
He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.
/hiː tɜːrnd tuː pərˈsiːv ðə tʃiːfs kɑːr ˈpʊlɪŋ ʌp tuː ðə kɜːrb dʒʌst bɪˈɑːnd hɪz oʊn/
Line 4
"Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.
/weɪt ə ˈmɪnət ˈmɪstər weɪn kɔːld ðə tʃiːf/
Line 5
"Don't draw that money, yet.

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.

Chief's noun US /tʃiːfs/

possessive form of “chief” — a person who is in charge

From this reading “He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
curb noun US /kɜːrb/

an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)

From this reading “He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Harris noun US /ˈherɪs/

United States author who wrote the stories about Uncle Remus (1848-1908)

From this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perceive verb US /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading “He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pit noun US /pɪt/

A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.

From this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

Velmora curated lexicon
pursuers noun US /pərˈsuːərz/

plural of “pursuer” — a person who is pursuing and trying to overtake or capture

From this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
snare noun US /sner/

something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares

From this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Wayne noun US /weɪn/

United States film actor who played tough heroes (1907-1979)

From this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

fall into verb + particle

be included in or classified as

In this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

10,864 times in 426,211 chapters
into the pit preposition + article + noun counted as “into … pit”

In this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

1,418 times in 426,211 chapters
At the door preposition + article + noun counted as “at … door”

In this reading “PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.”

53,016 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 54

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 "Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
banknounUS /bæŋk/

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading "Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading Someone was calling to him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ChiefnounUS /tʃiːf/

a person who is in charge

From this reading "Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Chief'snounUS /tʃiːfs/

possessive form of “chief” — a person who is in charge

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
curbnounUS /kɜːrb/

an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Don't

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

From this reading "Don't draw that money, yet.

Pending verification
doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drawverbUS /drɔː/

cause to move by pulling

From this reading "Don't draw that money, yet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fleeth

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Pending verification
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
getteth

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Pending verification
HarrisnounUS /ˈherɪs/

United States author who wrote the stories about Uncle Remus (1848-1908)

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Someone was calling to him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Jer

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Pending verification
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
minutenounUS /ˈmɪnət/

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading "Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
moneynounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading "Don't draw that money, yet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading "Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pausedverbUS /pɔːzd/

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perceiveverbUS /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pitnounUS /pɪt/

A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora curated lexicon
pullingnounUS /ˈpʊlɪŋ/

the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PURSUEDnounUS /pərˈsuːd/

a person who is being chased

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PURSUERSnounUS /pərˈsuːərz/

plural of “pursuer” — a person who is pursuing and trying to overtake or capture

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
snarenounUS /sner/

something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SomeonepronounUS /ˈsʌmwʌn/

a person, without saying who

From this reading Someone was calling to him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Someone was calling to him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading He turned to perceive the Chief's car pulling up to the curb just beyond his own.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WaitverbUS /weɪt/

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading "Wait a minute, Mr. Wayne," called the Chief.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Someone was calling to him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WaynenounUS /weɪn/

United States film actor who played tough heroes (1907-1979)

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
xlviiiadjective

being eight more than forty

From this reading PURSUED AND PURSUERS "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare."--Jer. xlviii, At the door of the bank Harris Wayne paused.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading "Don't draw that money, yet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 23 of Sparrows by Marie Coolidge-Rask holds 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 23 of Sparrows contain?

Chapter 23 holds 126 sentences of Sparrows, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Sparrows by Marie Coolidge-Rask exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 23 of Sparrows?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Sparrows

Common questions about reading Sparrows by Marie Coolidge-Rask on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Sparrows?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Sparrows is used?

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

How long does Sparrows take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Sparrows section by section

How to work through Sparrows section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Sparrows

Words and structures a reader meets early in Sparrows, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Sparrows, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Sparrows, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Sparrows, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.