Chapter 4 of The Loom of the Desert is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The Loom of the Desert is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“My father----” “Yes, I know. Your father. What does he say?” “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what? Why don’t you say what?
Chapter 4 of The Loom of the Desert is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/90 · 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.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading ““My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?”
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading ““My father----” “Yes, I know.”
possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
possessive form of “nick” — an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading ““My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?”
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading ““My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?”
the words that are spoken
From this reading ““My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?”
an affirmative
From this reading ““My father----” “Yes, I know.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading ““My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?”
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 in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What does he say?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why don’t you say what?
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading “My father----” “Yes, I know.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What does he say?”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “My father----” “Yes, I know.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “My father----” “Yes, I know.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “My father----” “Yes, I know.
possessive form of “nick” — an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
express in words
From this reading What does he say?”
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What does he say?”
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why don’t you say what?
the words that are spoken
From this reading “My father----” Nick’s words came slowly, “He say----them----bones----” “For God’s sake, what?
an affirmative
From this reading “My father----” “Yes, I know.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Why don’t you say what?
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Your father.
Chapter 4 of The Loom of the Desert by Idah Meacham Strobridge holds 451 sentences, grouped into 91 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 4 holds 451 sentences of The Loom of the Desert, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Loom of the Desert by Idah Meacham Strobridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 451 sentences, grouped into 91 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 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 91 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Loom of the Desert by Idah Meacham Strobridge on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2244 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #67347 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #67347, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 187 minutes of reading across 449 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Loom of the Desert section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of The Loom of the Desert 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 Loom of the Desert, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
