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The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated
The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By James De Mille • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated
Context Illustration Reading 1/77 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.
It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.
At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.
With a cry of joy they rushed forward.
They reached it.
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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 Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.
/ˈsʌdənli æz ðeɪ wɜːr ˈtɔːkɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðiːz θɪŋz ðeɪ sɔː bɪˈfɔːr ðem θruː ðə triːz jet nɑːt mɔːr ðæn ə ˈdʌzən ˈpeɪsɪz ˈdɪstənt ə ˈveri fəˈmɪljər fɔːrm/
Line 2
It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.
Line 3
At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.
/æt wʌns ðə θɔːt flæʃt əˈpɑːn ðem ðæt ðeɪ wɜːr nɪr sʌm ˈfɑːrmhaʊs pərˈhæps sʌm ˈsetəlmənt ənd ðen ərˈoʊz ðə hoʊp ʌv ə ˈbetər naɪts rest ðæn kʊd biː əˈfɔːrdəd baɪ ðə wʊdz wɪð ðer dæmp ənd ˈfɑːɡi ˈætməsfɪr/
Line 4
With a cry of joy they rushed forward.
/wɪð ə kraɪ ʌv dʒɔɪ ðeɪ rʌʃt ˈfɔːrwərd/
Line 5
They reached it.
/ðeɪ riːtʃt ɪt/

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.

afforded verb US /əˈfɔːrdəd/

past form of “afford” — be able to spare or give up

From this reading “At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
farmhouse noun US /ˈfɑːrmhaʊs/

house for a farmer and family

From this reading “At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foggy adjective US /ˈfɑːɡi/

stunned or confused and slow to react (as from blows or drunkenness or exhaustion)

From this reading “At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
night's noun US /naɪts/

possessive form of “night” — the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
paces noun US /ˈpeɪsɪz/

plural of “pace” — the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

From this reading “Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
poles noun US /poʊlz/

plural of “pole” — a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

From this reading “It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
snake noun US /sneɪk/

limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading “It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
zigzag verb US /ˈzɪɡzæɡ/

travel along a zigzag path

From this reading “It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

dozen paces noun + noun counted as “dozen pace”

In this reading “Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.”

559 times in 426,211 chapters
At once preposition + adverb

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

In this reading “At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.”

257,448 times in 426,211 chapters
flashed upon verb + particle counted as “flash upon”

In this reading “At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.”

2,831 times in 426,211 chapters
familiar form adjective + noun

In this reading “Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.”

219 times in 426,211 chapters
through the trees preposition + article + noun counted as “through … tree”

In this reading “Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.”

4,156 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 75

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 Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
affordedverbUS /əˈfɔːrdəd/

past form of “afford” — be able to spare or give up

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aroseverbUS /ərˈoʊz/

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atmospherenounUS /ˈætməsfɪr/

a particular environment or surrounding influence

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading With a cry of joy they rushed forward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/

slightly wet

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
familiaradjectiveUS /fəˈmɪljər/

well known or easily recognized

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
farmhousenounUS /ˈfɑːrmhaʊs/

house for a farmer and family

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fenceverbUS /fens/

enclose with a fence

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flashedverbUS /flæʃt/

past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foggyadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːɡi/

stunned or confused and slow to react (as from blows or drunkenness or exhaustion)

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/

having or given a form or shape

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading With a cry of joy they rushed forward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading With a cry of joy they rushed forward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
night'snounUS /naɪts/

possessive form of “night” — the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
pacesnounUS /ˈpeɪsɪz/

plural of “pace” — the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
polesnounUS /poʊlz/

plural of “pole” — a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading They reached it.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
runsnounUS /rʌnz/

plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rushedadjectiveUS /rʌʃt/

done under pressure

From this reading With a cry of joy they rushed forward.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/

a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
snakenounUS /sneɪk/

limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SuddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
talkingnounUS /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
woodsnounUS /wʊdz/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading At once the thought flashed upon them that they were near some farmhouse, perhaps some settlement; and then arose the hope of a better night’s rest than could be afforded by the woods with their damp and foggy atmosphere.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Suddenly, as they were talking over these things, they saw before them through the trees, yet not more than a dozen paces distant, a very familiar form.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
zigzagverbUS /ˈzɪɡzæɡ/

travel along a zigzag path

From this reading It was a “snake fence,”--that is to say, a fence formed of poles, built in such a way that it runs in a zigzag direction.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 8 of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated by James De Mille holds 388 sentences, grouped into 78 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 8 of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated contain?

Chapter 8 holds 388 sentences of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated by James De Mille exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 388 sentences, grouped into 78 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 8 of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated?

Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 78 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated

Common questions about reading The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated by James De Mille on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated?

Yes. All 4984 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56232 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56232, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated take to read?

About 415 minutes of reading across 997 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated section by section

How to work through The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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

Vocabulary met early in The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Woods
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Weapons
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Interruption
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boys of Grand Pré School: Illustrated; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.