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The Golden Book of Springfield
The Golden Book of Springfield

Chapter VI

Chapter 6 of The Golden Book of Springfield is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Vachel Lindsay • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Golden Book of Springfield
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.
I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.
Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.
I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

The Golden Book of Springfield

Chapter VI

Chapter 6 of The Golden Book of Springfield is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Line 2
April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.
Line 3
I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.
/aɪ noʊt sʌm ˈtaɪni sprɪŋ ˈbjuːtiz ɪn ðə ˈpætʃəz ʌv snoʊ/
Line 4
Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.
/ˈevəri klaʊd ˈθretənz bʌt ˈevəri klaʊd roʊlz baɪ/
Line 5
I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.
/aɪ bɪˈɡɪn tuː ˌæprɪˈhend ˈeɪprəlz ˈprɪti ˈprɑːməs ʌv ˈfaɪnəl dɪˈlɪvərəns frʌm frɔːst ənd snoʊ/

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.

apprehend verb US /ˌæprɪˈhend/

get the meaning of something

From this reading “I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
April's noun US /ˈeɪprəlz/

possessive form of “april” — the month following March and preceding May

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
boone noun US /buːn/

an American pioneer and guide and explorer (1734-1820)

From this reading “THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
factions noun US /ˈfækʃənz/

plural of “faction” — a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue

From this reading “THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mayo noun US /ˈmeɪoʊ/

egg yolks and oil and vinegar

From this reading “THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slack adjective US /slæk/

not tense or taut

From this reading “THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slick noun US /slɪk/

a slippery smoothness

From this reading “THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
threatens verb US /ˈθretənz/

third-person singular of “threaten” — pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading “Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.”

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.

TWO FACTIONS noun + noun counted as “two faction”

In this reading “THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.”

203 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 51

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.

2018

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

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

Pending verification
3

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

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
apprehendverbUS /ˌæprɪˈhend/

get the meaning of something

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AprilnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/

the month following March and preceding May

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
April'snounUS /ˈeɪprəlz/

possessive form of “april” — the month following March and preceding May

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beautiesnounUS /ˈbjuːtiz/

plural of “beauty” — the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOARDnounUS /bɔːrd/

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOONEnounUS /buːn/

an American pioneer and guide and explorer (1734-1820)

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BOSSnounUS /bɑːs/

a person who exercises control over workers

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
deliverancenounUS /dɪˈlɪvərəns/

recovery or preservation from loss or danger

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EDUCATIONnounUS /ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/

the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FACTIONSnounUS /ˈfækʃənz/

plural of “faction” — a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
frostnounUS /frɔːst/

ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

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 April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
KOPENSKY

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

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Pending verification
MAYOnounUS /ˈmeɪoʊ/

egg yolks and oil and vinegar

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MAYORnounUS /ˈmeɪər/

the head of a city government

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notenounUS /noʊt/

a brief written record

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/

plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PRESIDENTnounUS /ˈprezədent/

an executive officer of a firm or corporation

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
promiseverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rollsnounUS /roʊlz/

plural of “roll” — rotary motion of an object around its own axis

From this reading Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SIMS

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

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Pending verification
SLACKadjectiveUS /slæk/

not tense or taut

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SLICKnounUS /slɪk/

a slippery smoothness

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
snownounUS /snoʊ/

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

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 I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading April 3, 2018:—It is a sunny April morning.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
threatensverbUS /ˈθretənz/

third-person singular of “threaten” — pose a threat to; present a danger to

From this reading Every cloud threatens, but every cloud rolls by.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tinyadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪni/

very small

From this reading I note some tiny spring beauties in the patches of snow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I begin to apprehend April’s pretty promise of final deliverance from frost and snow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TWOnounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
VERSUS

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

From this reading THE TWO FACTIONS:—MAYOR SLICK SLACK KOPENSKY AND HIS BOSS, MAYO SIMS; _VERSUS_ BOONE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Pending verification

Chapter 6 of The Golden Book of Springfield by Vachel Lindsay holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 6 of The Golden Book of Springfield contain?

Chapter 6 holds 102 sentences of The Golden Book of Springfield, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of The Golden Book of Springfield by Vachel Lindsay exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 6 of The Golden Book of Springfield?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Golden Book of Springfield

Common questions about reading The Golden Book of Springfield by Vachel Lindsay on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Golden Book of Springfield?

Yes. All 3065 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59860 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Golden Book of Springfield is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59860, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Golden Book of Springfield take to read?

About 255 minutes of reading across 613 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Golden Book of Springfield section by section

How to work through The Golden Book of Springfield section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of The Golden Book of Springfield 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 Golden Book of Springfield

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Golden Book of Springfield, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Campbellite
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Book of Springfield; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Florist
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Book of Springfield; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hostess
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Book of Springfield; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Springfield
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Book of Springfield; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.