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The Flockmaster of Poison Creek
The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek is here in full — 217 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By George W. (George Washington) Ogden • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Flockmaster of Poison Creek
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.
The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.
Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.
Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.
There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.
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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 Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek is here in full — 217 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.
Line 2
The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.
/ðə ˈaʊtkʌm ʌv hɪz əˈtemptɪd ˈkaɪndnəs tuː ðə əˈprest ˈwʊmən hæd nɑːt bɪn fɪˈlɪsətəs/
Line 3
Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.
Line 4
Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.
/pərˈhæps ædˈventʃər wɑːz nɑːt sʌtʃ ə θɪŋ tuː biː sɔːt æz hiː hæd ˌɪˈmædʒənd hiː rɪˈflektɪd hænd tuː hɪz ˈswoʊlən θroʊt/
Line 5
There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

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.

dryness noun US /ˈdraɪnəs/

the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water)

From this reading “There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
felicitous adjective US /fɪˈlɪsətəs/

exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style

From this reading “The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mackenzie noun US /məˈkenzi/

Canadian explorer (born in England) who explored the Mackenzie River and who was first to cross North America by land north of Mexico (1764-1820)

From this reading “KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
outcome noun US /ˈaʊtkʌm/

something that results

From this reading “The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
regretting verb US /rɪˈɡretɪŋ/

inflected form of “regret” — feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about

From this reading “KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
schoolmaster noun US /ˈskuːlmæstər/

presiding officer of a school

From this reading “KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Swan verb US /swɑːn/

to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

From this reading “KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Swede noun US /swiːd/

a native or inhabitant of Sweden

From this reading “KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.”

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.

domestic arrangements adjective + noun counted as “domestic arrangement”

In this reading “KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.”

404 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 76

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 Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
acheverbUS /eɪk/

feel physical pain

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
adventureverbUS /ædˈventʃər/

take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
arrangementsnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənts/

plural of “arrangement” — the thing arranged or agreed to

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attemptedadjectiveUS /əˈtemptɪd/

tried unsuccessfully

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

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 Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bloodnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

Velmora curated lexicon
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Carlson

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

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Pending verification
consequencesnounUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwensəz/

plural of “consequence” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/

treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
domesticadjectiveUS /dəˈmestɪk/

of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drynessnounUS /ˈdraɪnəs/

the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water)

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
felicitousadjectiveUS /fɪˈlɪsətəs/

exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FLOCKnounUS /flɑːk/

a church congregation guided by a pastor

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
greatlyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtli/

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
imaginedverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənd/

past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IndeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JaspernounUS /ˈdʒæspər/

an opaque form of quartz; red or yellow or brown or dark green in color; used for ornamentation or as a gemstone

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
KEEPERnounUS /ˈkiːpər/

someone in charge of other people

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
killedverbUS /kɪld/

past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MackenzienounUS /məˈkenzi/

Canadian explorer (born in England) who explored the Mackenzie River and who was first to cross North America by land north of Mexico (1764-1820)

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
marchedverbUS /mɑːrtʃt/

past form of “march” — march in a procession

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
meddled

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

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Pending verification
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mouthnounUS /maʊθ/

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/

burdened psychologically or mentally

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
outcomenounUS /ˈaʊtkʌm/

something that results

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PerhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reflectedadjectiveUS /rɪˈflektɪd/

(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
regrettingverbUS /rɪˈɡretɪŋ/

inflected form of “regret” — feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
riseverbUS /raɪz/

move upward

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
schoolmasternounUS /ˈskuːlmæstər/

presiding officer of a school

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soughtadjectiveUS /sɔːt/

that is looked for

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SwanverbUS /swɑːn/

to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SwedenounUS /swiːd/

a native or inhabitant of Sweden

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
swollenadjectiveUS /ˈswoʊlən/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

Velmora curated lexicon
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

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 KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading Perhaps adventure was not such a thing to be sought as he had imagined, he reflected; hand to his swollen throat.

Velmora curated lexicon
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading KEEPER OF THE FLOCK John Mackenzie, late schoolmaster of Jasper, marched on through the cool of the night, regretting that he had meddled in the domestic arrangements of Swan Carlson, the Swede.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tonguenounUS /tʌŋ/

a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

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 Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Indeed, he was troubled greatly by the fear that he had killed Swan Carlson, and that grave consequences might rise out of this first adventure that ever fell in his way.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
windpipenoun

membranous tube with cartilaginous rings that conveys inhaled air from the larynx to the bronchi

From this reading There was an ache in his crushed windpipe, a dryness in his mouth, a taste of blood on his tongue.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The outcome of his attempted kindness to the oppressed woman had not been felicitous.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 4 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek by George W. (George Washington) Ogden holds 217 sentences, grouped into 44 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 4 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek contain?

Chapter 4 holds 217 sentences of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek by George W. (George Washington) Ogden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 217 sentences, grouped into 44 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 4 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek?

Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 44 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 4 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Common questions about reading The Flockmaster of Poison Creek by George W. (George Washington) Ogden on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek?

Yes. All 4612 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29668 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29668, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Flockmaster of Poison Creek take to read?

About 384 minutes of reading across 923 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Flockmaster of Poison Creek section by section

How to work through The Flockmaster of Poison Creek section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Flockmaster of Poison Creek, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chimney
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Butte
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
United
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.