Chapter 4 of The boys of Columbia High on the river is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The boys of Columbia High on the river is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust. "That just finishes me! I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled. On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused. "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
Chapter 4 of The boys of Columbia High on the river is here in full — 156 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.
-ing form of “chuckle” — laugh quietly or with restraint
From this reading “On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.”
-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading “"We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.”
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading “"We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.”
-ing form of “elevate” — give a promotion to or assign to a higher position
From this reading “"We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.”
plural of “finish” — a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)
From this reading “"That just finishes me!”
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading “I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.”
Scottish writer of rustic verse (1770-1835)
From this reading “SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.”
tall and thin and having long slender limbs
From this reading “SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.”
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.
In this reading “On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.”
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 SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
a person who is in charge
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
-ing form of “chuckle” — laugh quietly or with restraint
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
fill with distaste
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
-ing form of “elevate” — give a promotion to or assign to a higher position
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
plural of “finish” — a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)
From this reading "That just finishes me!
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
Scottish writer of rustic verse (1770-1835)
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
and nothing more
From this reading "That just finishes me!
tall and thin and having long slender limbs
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "That just finishes me!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
not any; not one
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
with speed
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading SURPRISING CHIEF HOGG Lanky gave a groan of disgust.
acceptance of despair
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That just finishes me!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On the other hand Frank was chuckling as if more than a little amused.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We surrender!" he exclaimed, quickly, elevating his hands to show that he was contemplating no manner of defense.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I thought sure we'd come to a bad end," he grumbled.
Chapter 4 of The boys of Columbia High on the river by Graham B. Forbes holds 156 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 4 holds 156 sentences of The boys of Columbia High on the river, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The boys of Columbia High on the river by Graham B. Forbes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 156 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 4 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.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in The boys of Columbia High on the river, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
