Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair
The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair is here in full — 103 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.
The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:
"Stop thief!
Stop thief!"
The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.
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.

The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair is here in full — 103 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.
Line 2
The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:
/ðə kraɪz ʌv ðoʊz ɪn ðə rɪr əˈtræktɪd ðə əˈtenʃən ʌv ðə ˈspekteɪtərz ˈelswer ɑːn ðə ɡraʊndz ənd wɪˈθaʊt ˈweɪtɪŋ tuː lɜːrn ðə kɑːz ʌv ðə ˈtrʌbəl ˈhʌndrədz ʌv men ənd bɔɪz dʒɔɪnd ɪn ðə tʃeɪs ɔːl ˈʃaʊtɪŋ æt ðə fʊl streŋkθ ʌv ðer lʌŋz/
Line 3
"Stop thief!
/stɑːp θiːf/
Line 4
Stop thief!"
/stɑːp θiːf/
Line 5
The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

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.

abandoning verb US /əˈbændənɪŋ/

-ing form of “abandon” — forsake, leave behind

From this reading “_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.”

burly adjective US /ˈbɜːrli/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading “The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.”

doubled adjective US /ˈdʌbəld/

twice as great or many

From this reading “The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.”

jewelry noun US /ˈdʒuːəlri/

an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)

From this reading “_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.”

lungs noun US /lʌŋz/

plural of “lung” — either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood

From this reading “The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:”

overtake verb US /ˈoʊvərteɪk/

catch up with and possibly overtake

From this reading “_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.”

pursuers noun US /pərˈsuːərz/

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

From this reading “_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.”

traversed verb US /ˈtrævərst/

past form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over

From this reading “The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.”

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.

attracted the attention verb + article + noun counted as “attract … attention”

In this reading “The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:”

NARROW ESCAPE verb + noun

something achieved (or escaped) by a narrow margin

In this reading “_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.”

red-faced man adjective + noun

In this reading “The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.”

without waiting preposition + noun

In this reading “The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:”

in front preposition + noun

at or in the front

In this reading “The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.”

for a moment preposition + article + noun counted as “for … moment”

temporarily

In this reading “_A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.”

full strength adjective + noun

In this reading “The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:”

in order preposition + noun

in a state of proper readiness or preparation or arrangement

In this reading “The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.”

All words in this reading · 104

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 NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

abandoningverbUS /əˈbændənɪŋ/

-ing form of “abandon” — forsake, leave behind

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

attractedverbUS /əˈtræktɪd/

past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

avoidverbUS /əˈvɔɪd/

stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/

muscular and heavily built

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

captureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/

succeed in representing or expressing something intangible

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

chaseverbUS /tʃeɪs/

go after with the intent to catch

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

criesnounUS /kraɪz/

plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

Dan

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

doubledadjectiveUS /ˈdʌbəld/

twice as great or many

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

elsewhereadverbUS /ˈelswer/

in or to another place

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

ESCAPEnounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

fakir's

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

goalnounUS /ɡoʊl/

the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

goodsnounUS /ɡʊdz/

plural of “good” — benefit

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

groundsnounUS /ɡraʊndz/

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

hundredsnounUS /ˈhʌndrədz/

plural of “hundred” — ten 10s

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

jewelrynounUS /ˈdʒuːəlri/

an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

joinedadjectiveUS /dʒɔɪnd/

of or relating to two people who are married to each other

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

jumpedverbUS /dʒʌmpt/

past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

lungsnounUS /lʌŋz/

plural of “lung” — either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

milenounUS /maɪl/

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

moneynounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

museumnounUS /mjuːˈziːəm/

a depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

NARROWverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

NeitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

overtakeverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪk/

catch up with and possibly overtake

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

possessionnounUS /pəˈzeʃən/

the act of having and controlling property

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

propertynounUS /ˈprɑːpərti/

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

pursuersnounUS /pərˈsuːərz/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

quarternounUS /ˈkwɔːrtər/

one of four equal parts

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

reachingnounUS /ˈriːtʃɪŋ/

the act of physically reaching or thrusting out

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

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

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

rearnounUS /rɪr/

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

red-facedadjective

(especially of the face) reddened or suffused with or as if with blood from emotion or exertion

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

resultnounUS /rɪˈzʌlt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

shoutingnounUS /ˈʃaʊtɪŋ/

encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

spectatorsnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/

plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

StopverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading "Stop thief!

strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/

the property of being physically or mentally strong

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

TeddynounUS /ˈtedi/

plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

tentnounUS /tent/

a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

thiefnounUS /θiːf/

a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it

From this reading "Stop thief!

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

traversedverbUS /ˈtrævərst/

past form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

turnsnounUS /tɜːrnz/

plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading _A NARROW ESCAPE._ Neither Teddy nor Dan had any hope of reaching the museum tent before their pursuers could overtake them, and although both knew what might be the result if they were taken with the jewelry fakir's money and goods in their possession, they did not for a moment think of abandoning the property.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The cries of those in the rear attracted the attention of the spectators elsewhere on the grounds, and without waiting to learn the cause of the trouble hundreds of men and boys joined in the chase, all shouting at the full strength of their lungs:

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading The distance to be traversed was nearly a quarter of a mile; but the many turns the boys were forced to make in order to avoid those who were ready to capture them doubled this, and they were yet very far from the goal when a burly, red-faced man jumped in front of them.

Chapter 18 of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair by James Otis holds 103 sentences, grouped into 21 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 18 of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair contain?

Chapter 18 holds 103 sentences of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair by James Otis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 103 sentences, grouped into 21 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 18 of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

Common questions about reading The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair by James Otis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair?

Yes. All 2809 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37647 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37647, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair take to read?

About 234 minutes of reading across 562 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair section by section

How to work through The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair 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 The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tyler
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Boston
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Charles
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.