Chapter 1 of The Boy from the Ranch is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Boy from the Ranch is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers! Hustle now! What's the matter with you? Want to go to sleep on the trail?" Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
Chapter 1 of The Boy from the Ranch is here in full — 158 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
From this reading “"Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!”
Englishman and Cavalier poet whose lyric poetry was favored by Charles I (1595-1639)
From this reading “Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.”
a person who exercises control over workers
From this reading “Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.”
cause to move furtively and hurriedly
From this reading “Hustle now!”
a range horse of the western United States
From this reading “Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.”
farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
From this reading “Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.”
plural of “steer” — an indication of potential opportunity
From this reading “"Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!”
increase threefold
From this reading “Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
Englishman and Cavalier poet whose lyric poetry was favored by Charles I (1595-1639)
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
a person who exercises control over workers
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Want to go to sleep on the trail?"
an expression of greeting
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
cause to move furtively and hurriedly
From this reading Hustle now!
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading What's the matter with you?
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Hustle now!
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Want to go to sleep on the trail?"
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
a range horse of the western United States
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
on the contrary
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Want to go to sleep on the trail?"
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
plural of “steer” — an indication of potential opportunity
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Want to go to sleep on the trail?"
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading Want to go to sleep on the trail?"
increase threefold
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading Want to go to sleep on the trail?"
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste around the other way and round up them steers!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What's the matter with you?
which person or people
From this reading Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading What's the matter with you?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading What's the matter with you?
Chapter 1 of The Boy from the Ranch by Frank V. Webster holds 158 sentences, grouped into 32 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.
Chapter 1 holds 158 sentences of The Boy from the Ranch, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Boy from the Ranch by Frank V. Webster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 158 sentences, grouped into 32 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.
Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 32 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.
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.
Common questions about reading The Boy from the Ranch by Frank V. Webster on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3017 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21794 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21794, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 251 minutes of reading across 604 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Boy from the Ranch section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Boy from the Ranch to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Boy from the Ranch, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
