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The Motor Maids' School Days
The Motor Maids' School Days

Chapter XXI · The Missing Link

Chapter XXI of The Motor Maids' School Days, “The Missing Link,” is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Motor Maids' School Days
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.
The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.
If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.
When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.
Billie was slightly irritated.
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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 Motor Maids' School Days

Chapter XXI · The Missing Link

Chapter XXI of The Motor Maids' School Days, “The Missing Link,” is here in full — 97 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.
/ˈmɪstər bæŋz meɪd θriː kɔːlz ɑːn ðæt ˈmemərəbəl ˈmʌndi/
Line 2
The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.
Line 3
If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.
/ɪf hiː ˈrekəɡnaɪzd ðə strɔːŋ ˈʌndərkɜːrənt wɪtʃ kəˈnektɪd ðə streɪndʒ ædˈventʃərz ʌv ðə ˈmoʊtər meɪdz ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə pæst tuː mʌnθs hiː sed ˈnʌθɪŋ bʌt ˈlɪsənd ˈɡreɪvli tuː ðə jʌŋ ɡɜːrlz əˈkaʊnt ʌv ðə ˈhæpənɪŋz ɪn ˈboʊldər leɪn ðə bɑːks ʌv ˈdʒuːəlz ðə ˈkeɪsəz ʌv ˈraɪfəlz æt ˈsevən liːɡ ˈaɪlənd ənd soʊ ɑːn θruː ðə ɪˈvents wɪtʃ hæv bɪn toʊld ɪn ðɪs ˈhɪstəri/
Line 4
When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.
Line 5
Billie was slightly irritated.

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.

Bangs noun US /bæŋz/

plural of “bang” — a vigorous blow

From this reading “Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.”

Boulder noun US /ˈboʊldər/

a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin

From this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

happenings noun US /ˈhæpənɪŋz/

plural of “happening” — an event that happens

From this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

memorable adjective US /ˈmemərəbəl/

worth remembering

From this reading “Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.”

surmise verb US /sərˈmaɪz/

infer from incomplete evidence

From this reading “The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.”

thumbs noun US /θʌmz/

plural of “thumb” — the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb

From this reading “When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.”

twirling verb US /ˈtwɜːrlɪŋ/

-ing form of “twirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion

From this reading “When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.”

undercurrent noun US /ˈʌndərkɜːrənt/

a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning

From this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

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.

Seven League noun + noun

In this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

during the past preposition + article + noun counted as “during … past”

In this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

two months noun + noun counted as “two month”

In this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

listened gravely verb + particle counted as “listen gravely”

In this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

waited for verb + particle counted as “wait for”

In this reading “When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.”

at Seven preposition + noun

In this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

past two noun + noun

In this reading “If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.”

All words in this reading · 85

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.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

adventuresnounUS /ædˈventʃərz/

plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

BangsnounUS /bæŋz/

plural of “bang” — a vigorous blow

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

Billie

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

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

BouldernounUS /ˈboʊldər/

a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

callsnounUS /kɔːlz/

plural of “call” — a telephone connection

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

casesnounUS /ˈkeɪsəz/

plural of “case” — an occurrence of something

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

connectedadjectiveUS /kəˈnektɪd/

being joined in close association

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

detectivenounUS /dɪˈtektɪv/

a police officer who investigates crimes

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

finishedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪnɪʃt/

(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

gravelyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪvli/

in a grave and sober manner

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

half-closed

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

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

happeningsnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋz/

plural of “happening” — an event that happens

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

irritatedadjectiveUS /ˈɪrəteɪtəd/

aroused to impatience or anger

From this reading Billie was slightly irritated.

IslandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

jewelsnounUS /ˈdʒuːəlz/

plural of “jewel” — a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

LanenounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

LeaguenounUS /liːɡ/

an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/

past form of “listen” — hear with intention

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

MaidsnounUS /meɪdz/

plural of “maid” — a female domestic

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

memorableadjectiveUS /ˈmemərəbəl/

worth remembering

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/

the second day of the week; the first working day

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

MotornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

pausedverbUS /pɔːzd/

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/

plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

SevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

silentlyadverbUS /ˈsaɪləntli/

without speaking

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Billie was slightly irritated.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

speakverbUS /spiːk/

express in speech

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

surmiseverbUS /sərˈmaɪz/

infer from incomplete evidence

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Mr. Bangs made three calls on that memorable Monday.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

thumbsnounUS /θʌmz/

plural of “thumb” — the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

twirlingverbUS /ˈtwɜːrlɪŋ/

-ing form of “twirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

undercurrentnounUS /ˈʌndərkɜːrənt/

a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/

past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading When Billie had finished, she paused and waited for the detective to speak, but he sat silently twirling his thumbs and looking down at the floor with half-closed eyes.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The first was to Billie, as you already surmise.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading If he recognized the strong undercurrent which connected the strange adventures of the Motor Maids during the past two months, he said nothing, but listened gravely to the young girl’s account of the happenings in Boulder Lane, the box of jewels, the cases of rifles at Seven League Island, and so on through the events which have been told in this history.

Chapter 21 of The Motor Maids' School Days by Katherine Stokes holds 97 sentences, grouped into 20 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 21 of The Motor Maids' School Days contain?

Chapter 21 holds 97 sentences of The Motor Maids' School Days, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Motor Maids' School Days by Katherine Stokes exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 97 sentences, grouped into 20 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 21 of The Motor Maids' School Days?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Motor Maids' School Days

Common questions about reading The Motor Maids' School Days by Katherine Stokes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Motor Maids' School Days?

Yes. All 3302 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37434 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Motor Maids' School Days is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37434, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Motor Maids' School Days take to read?

About 275 minutes of reading across 661 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Motor Maids' School Days section by section

How to work through The Motor Maids' School Days section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Motor Maids' School Days 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 Motor Maids' School Days

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Motor Maids' School Days, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Girls
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Maids' School Days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Minutes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Maids' School Days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Going
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Maids' School Days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Surprise
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Motor Maids' School Days; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.