The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Willard F. Baker • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek by Willard F. Baker holds 140 sentences, grouped into 28 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 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek contain?

Chapter 15 holds 140 sentences of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek by Willard F. Baker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 140 sentences, grouped into 28 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 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek

Common questions about reading The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek by Willard F. Baker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek?

Yes. All 2738 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27095 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #27095, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek take to read?

About 228 minutes of reading across 548 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek section by section

How to work through The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Ranchers: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Solving: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mystery: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Diamond: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Cover illustration for The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

"Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

"Well, it's dead, anyhow," Bud answered.

"I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

Narrator

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.

Chapter XV Reading 1/28

The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek is here in full — 140 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1

A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

Line 2

"Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

Line 3

"Well, it's dead, anyhow," Bud answered.

Line 4

"I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

Line 5

Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

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, audio, and collocations from this reading.

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “"Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.”

All words in this reading · 58

Every word is available to listen to. 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 BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

all

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

From this reading Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

announcement

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

answered

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

From this reading "Well, it's dead, anyhow," Bud answered.

anyhow

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

From this reading "Well, it's dead, anyhow," Bud answered.

Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

asked

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

BATTLE

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

Bud

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

came

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

can't

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

come

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

cousin

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

cut

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

dead

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

From this reading "Well, it's dead, anyhow," Bud answered.

Diamond

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

discovered

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

distinct

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

doesn't

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

From this reading Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

door

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

hurrying

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

it's

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

make

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

news

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

Nort

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

only

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

others

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

party

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

raise

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

rather

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

From this reading Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

shack

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

shock

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

sound

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

From this reading Or, rather, it doesn't sound at all.

sounds

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

sure

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

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

Well

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

From this reading "Well, it's dead, anyhow," Bud answered.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

WITS

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

From this reading A BATTLE OF WITS This news came as a distinct shock not only to Bud, who discovered it, but to the others of his party.

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

From this reading "I can't raise Diamond X. And it sounds as if it were cut.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Are you sure it's cut?" asked Nort, hurrying into the shack after his cousin, who had come to the door to make the announcement.

Chapter XV

What does chapter 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek contain?

How do I study chapter 15 of The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek?

Can chapter 15 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek

How to read The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek