Chapter 9 of The Captain's Toll-Gate is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Captain's Toll-Gate is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them." "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked. "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away. You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you." "Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.
Chapter 9 of The Captain's Toll-Gate is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “"Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.”
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading “"Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.”
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading “"And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.”
set afire or burning
From this reading “"Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.”
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading “"Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.”
the act of causing something to go (especially messages)
From this reading “"Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.”
straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading “"And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.”
in a confused mass
From this reading “"It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."”
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 "Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading "Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
set afire or burning
From this reading "Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading "Would you object if I lighted a cigar?" he asked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
the act of causing something to go (especially messages)
From this reading "Of course I do," she replied, "and I expect you to begin by sending Mr. Hemphill away.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
in a confused mass
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "It certainly is," she replied, "and I tangled them."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading You know I could not do it, but I should think it would be easy for you."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "And you expect me to straighten them?" he asked.
Chapter 9 of The Captain's Toll-Gate by Frank R. Stockton holds 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 9 holds 426 sentences of The Captain's Toll-Gate, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Captain's Toll-Gate by Frank R. Stockton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 9 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 Captain's Toll-Gate by Frank R. Stockton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5406 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13356 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13356, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 450 minutes of reading across 1082 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Captain's Toll-Gate section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Captain's Toll-Gate 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 Captain's Toll-Gate, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
