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

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Stories of a Western Town is here in full — 193 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Stories of a Western Town
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.
It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”
Yes, ma'am.
You put things very clearly.”
I guess it is because you understand so quickly.
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.

Stories of a Western Town

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Stories of a Western Town is here in full — 193 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.
Line 2
It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”
Line 3
Yes, ma'am.
/jes mæm/
Line 4
You put things very clearly.”
/juː pʊt θɪŋz ˈveri ˈklɪrli/
Line 5
I guess it is because you understand so quickly.
/aɪ ɡes ɪt ɪz bɪˈkɔːz juː ˌʌndərˈstænd soʊ ˈkwɪkli/

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.

clearly adverb US /ˈklɪrli/

without doubt or question

From this reading “You put things very clearly.””

drinking noun US /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/

the act of consuming liquids

From this reading ““It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!””

folks noun US /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading ““It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!””

fooling adjective US /ˈfuːlɪŋ/

characterized by a feeling of irresponsibility

From this reading ““Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.”

ma'am noun US /mæm/

a woman of refinement

From this reading ““Yes, ma'am.”

people's noun US /ˈpiːpəlz/

possessive form of “people” — (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading ““Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.”

religions noun US /riˈlɪdʒənz/

plural of “religion” — a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading ““Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.”

stomach noun US /ˈstʌmək/

an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion

From this reading ““It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!””

All words in this reading · 51

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.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

anybodypronounUS /ˈenibədi/

any person at all

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “I guess it is because you understand so quickly.

clearlyadverbUS /ˈklɪrli/

without doubt or question

From this reading You put things very clearly.”

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

don't

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

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

drinkingnounUS /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/

the act of consuming liquids

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

easilyadverbUS /ˈiːzəli/

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

else's

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

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

folksnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

foolingadjectiveUS /ˈfuːlɪŋ/

characterized by a feeling of irresponsibility

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading “I guess it is because you understand so quickly.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

ma'amnounUS /mæm/

a woman of refinement

From this reading “Yes, ma'am.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

people'snounUS /ˈpiːpəlz/

possessive form of “people” — (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading You put things very clearly.”

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading “I guess it is because you understand so quickly.

religionsnounUS /riˈlɪdʒənz/

plural of “religion” — a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “I guess it is because you understand so quickly.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/

an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading You put things very clearly.”

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

tryingadjectiveUS /ˈtraɪɪŋ/

hard to endure

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading “I guess it is because you understand so quickly.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading You put things very clearly.”

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking; nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach!”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading “Oh, I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions,” said the woman, easily.

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading “Yes, ma'am.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You put things very clearly.”

Chapter 5 of Stories of a Western Town by Octave Thanet holds 193 sentences, grouped into 39 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 5 of Stories of a Western Town contain?

Chapter 5 holds 193 sentences of Stories of a Western Town, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Stories of a Western Town by Octave Thanet exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 193 sentences, grouped into 39 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 5 of Stories of a Western Town?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Stories of a Western Town

Common questions about reading Stories of a Western Town by Octave Thanet on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Stories of a Western Town?

Yes. All 2313 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2949 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Stories of a Western Town is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2949, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Stories of a Western Town take to read?

About 192 minutes of reading across 463 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Stories of a Western Town section by section

How to work through Stories of a Western Town section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of Stories of a Western Town to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Stories of a Western Town

Words and structures a reader meets early in Stories of a Western Town, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Assisted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories of a Western Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Providence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories of a Western Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Harry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories of a Western Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lossing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Stories of a Western Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.