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The Old Man of the Mountain
The Old Man of the Mountain

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of The Old Man of the Mountain is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Herbert Strang • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Old Man of the Mountain
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.
Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.
"The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.
"It changes not from age to age.
As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.
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 Old Man of the Mountain

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of The Old Man of the Mountain is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.
Line 2
Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.
Line 3
"The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.
/ðə lɔː ʌv ðə aɪ mʌst biː oʊˈbeɪd hiː sed ɪn tʃaɪˈniːz/
Line 4
"It changes not from age to age.
/ɪt ˈtʃeɪndʒəz nɑːt frʌm eɪdʒ tuː eɪdʒ/
Line 5
As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.
/æz ɪts ˈmɪnəstər aɪ bɪd juː wɪðˈdrɔː ɑːn jɔːr ˈfeɪsəz frʌm ðə ˈpɔːrtəl wɪtʃ juː hæv pəˈluːtɪd/

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.

instinctive adjective US /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪv/

unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct

From this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
polluted adjective US /pəˈluːtɪd/

rendered unwholesome by contaminants and pollution

From this reading “As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
portal noun US /ˈpɔːrtəl/

a grand and imposing entrance (often extended metaphorically)

From this reading “As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
quickest adverb US /ˈkwɪkɪst/

most quickly

From this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
superstition noun US /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/

an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear

From this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
symbol noun US /ˈsɪmbəl/

an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance

From this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
veneration noun US /ˌvenərˈeɪʃən/

a feeling of profound respect for someone or something

From this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withdraw verb US /wɪðˈdrɔː/

pull back or move away or backward

From this reading “As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.”

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.

grave tones noun + noun counted as “grave tone”

In this reading “Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.”

332 times in 225,867 chapters
act of verb + particle

In this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

28,018 times in 225,867 chapters
over the heads preposition + article + noun counted as “over … head”

In this reading “Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.”

4,126 times in 225,867 chapters
by the sight preposition + article + noun counted as “by … sight”

In this reading “BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.”

3,597 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 65

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 BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading "It changes not from age to age.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
authoritynounUS /əˈθɔːrəti/

the power or right to give orders or make decisions

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/

exceptionally bad or displeasing

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

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 "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Beresford

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

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Pending verification
bidverbUS /bɪd/

propose a payment

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BONDSnounUS /bɑːndz/

plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BURSTINGverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/

-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/

plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another

From this reading "It changes not from age to age.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/

any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system

From this reading "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
facesnounUS /ˈfeɪsəz/

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "It changes not from age to age.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grovellingadjective

totally submissive

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

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

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

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
head-dress

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

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Pending verification
headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inspiredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪərd/

being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
instinctiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪv/

unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
LawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ministernounUS /ˈmɪnəstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
multitudenounUS /ˈmʌltətuːd/

a large indefinite number

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "It changes not from age to age.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
obeyedverbUS /oʊˈbeɪd/

past form of “obey” — be obedient to

From this reading "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
pollutedadjectiveUS /pəˈluːtɪd/

rendered unwholesome by contaminants and pollution

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
portalnounUS /ˈpɔːrtəl/

a grand and imposing entrance (often extended metaphorically)

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
profitnounUS /ˈprɑːfət/

the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
quickestadverbUS /ˈkwɪkɪst/

most quickly

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "The Law of the Eye must be obeyed," he said in Chinese.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slowadjectiveUS /sloʊ/

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spokenounUS /spoʊk/

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SteppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
superstitionnounUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/

an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
symbolnounUS /ˈsɪmbəl/

an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

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 BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tonesnounUS /toʊnz/

plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice

From this reading Stepping forward, he spoke in slow, grave tones over the heads of the grovelling multitude.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
venerationnounUS /ˌvenərˈeɪʃən/

a feeling of profound respect for someone or something

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

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 BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading BURSTING THE BONDS It was Beresford that was quickest to profit by the instinctive act of veneration inspired by the sight of the head-dress which use and superstition had made a symbol of awful authority and power.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withdrawverbUS /wɪðˈdrɔː/

pull back or move away or backward

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading As its minister, I bid you withdraw on your faces from the portal which you have polluted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 20 of The Old Man of the Mountain by Herbert Strang holds 142 sentences, grouped into 29 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 20 of The Old Man of the Mountain contain?

Chapter 20 holds 142 sentences of The Old Man of the Mountain, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Old Man of the Mountain by Herbert Strang exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 142 sentences, grouped into 29 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 20 of The Old Man of the Mountain?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Old Man of the Mountain

Common questions about reading The Old Man of the Mountain by Herbert Strang on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Old Man of the Mountain?

Yes. All 3719 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40751 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Old Man of the Mountain is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40751, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Old Man of the Mountain take to read?

About 309 minutes of reading across 744 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Old Man of the Mountain

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Old Man of the Mountain, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Jolly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Man of the Mountain; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Curry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Man of the Mountain; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Jackson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Man of the Mountain; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Looking
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Old Man of the Mountain; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.