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The Auto Boys' Quest
The Auto Boys' Quest

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Auto Boys' Quest is here in full — 144 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.
"And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.
The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.
You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.
Or--or like a fruit cake."
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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 Auto Boys' Quest

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Auto Boys' Quest is here in full — 144 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.
Line 2
"And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.
/ənd ðeɪ paɪld θriː stoʊnz wʌn ɑːn tɑːp ʌv əˈnʌðər tuː mɑːrk ðə pleɪs/
Line 3
The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.
/ðə fɜːrst wɑːz dʒʌst ə bɪɡ fiːld stoʊn ðə ˈsekənd wɑːz rʌf ənd flæt ənd ðə θɜːrd wɪtʃ wɑːz æt ðə tɑːp wɑːz ðə kaɪnd kɔːld kənˈɡlɑːmərət/
Line 4
You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.
Line 5
Or--or like a fruit cake."

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.

auto noun US /ˈɔːtoʊ/

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

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.”

captives noun US /ˈkæptɪvz/

plural of “captive” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.”

conglomerate noun US /kənˈɡlɑːmərət/

a composite rock made up of particles of varying size

From this reading “The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.”

connecticut noun US /kəˈnetəkət/

a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.”

frontier noun US /frənˈtɪr/

a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.”

gravel noun US /ˈɡrævəl/

rock fragments and pebbles

From this reading “You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.”

outing noun US /ˈaʊtɪŋ/

a journey taken for pleasure

From this reading “AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.”

pebbles noun US /ˈpebəlz/

plural of “pebble” — a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading “You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.”

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.

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

In this reading “The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.”

on top preposition + noun

In this reading “"And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.”

All words in this reading · 57

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 The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

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 You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

AUTOnounUS /ˈɔːtoʊ/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

BOYSnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

cakenounUS /keɪk/

a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)

From this reading Or--or like a fruit cake."

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

CAPTIVESnounUS /ˈkæptɪvz/

plural of “captive” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/

of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

conglomeratenounUS /kənˈɡlɑːmərət/

a composite rock made up of particles of varying size

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

CONNECTICUTnounUS /kəˈnetəkət/

a New England state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

ETC

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

FARadverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

fieldnounUS /fiːld/

a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

flatadjectiveUS /flæt/

having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

FRONTIERnounUS /frənˈtɪr/

a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

fruitnounUS /fruːt/

the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant

From this reading Or--or like a fruit cake."

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/

rock fragments and pebbles

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

markverbUS /mɑːrk/

attach a tag or label to

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

massnounUS /mæs/

the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Or--or like a fruit cake."

OUTINGnounUS /ˈaʊtɪŋ/

a journey taken for pleasure

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

PASTnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

pebblesnounUS /ˈpebəlz/

plural of “pebble” — a small smooth rounded rock

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

piledverbUS /paɪld/

past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

pressedadjectiveUS /prest/

compacted by ironing

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

RESERVEnounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/

formality and propriety of manner

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

roughadjectiveUS /rʌf/

having or caused by an irregular surface

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

stonenounUS /stoʊn/

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

THREEnounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading "And they piled three stones one on top of another to mark the place.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

WESTERNadjectiveUS /ˈwestərn/

relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts

From this reading AUTHOR OF "THE AUTO BOYS," "THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING," "FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," "CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," ETC.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The first was just a big field stone, the second was rough and flat and the third, which was at the top, was the kind called conglomerate.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You know--all full of pebbles, like coarse gravel pressed into a mass.

Chapter 1 of The Auto Boys' Quest by James A. (James Andrew) Braden holds 144 sentences, grouped into 29 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 1 of The Auto Boys' Quest contain?

Chapter 1 holds 144 sentences of The Auto Boys' Quest, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Auto Boys' Quest by James A. (James Andrew) Braden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 144 sentences, grouped into 29 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 1 of The Auto Boys' Quest?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Auto Boys' Quest

Common questions about reading The Auto Boys' Quest by James A. (James Andrew) Braden on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Auto Boys' Quest?

Yes. All 2053 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39102 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Auto Boys' Quest is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39102, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Auto Boys' Quest take to read?

About 171 minutes of reading across 411 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Auto Boys' Quest section by section

How to work through The Auto Boys' Quest section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 15 chapters of The Auto Boys' Quest 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 Auto Boys' Quest

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Auto Boys' Quest, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Auto Boys' Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Boys'
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Auto Boys' Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Outing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Auto Boys' Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frontier
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Auto Boys' Quest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.