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The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali
The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Frank Gee Patchin • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.
Made in U. S. A.
"If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.
"It is not the desert.
We have not reached it yet.
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 Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali is here in full — 189 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.
Line 2
Made in U. S. A.
/meɪd ɪn juː es ə/
Line 3
"If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.
Line 4
"It is not the desert.
/ɪt ɪz nɑːt ðə ˈdezərt/
Line 5
We have not reached it yet.
/wiː hæv nɑːt riːtʃt ɪt jet/

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.

Alkali noun US /ˈælkəlaɪ/

any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Maze noun US /meɪz/

complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Montana noun US /mɑːnˈtænə/

a state in northwestern United States on the Canadian border

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Ozarks noun US /ˈoʊzɑːrks/

an area of low mountains in northwestern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Pony noun US /ˈpoʊniː/

a range horse of the western United States

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Rider noun US /ˈraɪdər/

a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Rockies noun US /ˈrɑːkiz/

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Texas noun US /ˈteksəs/

the second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading “The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 39

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 The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AlkalinounUS /ˈælkəlaɪ/

any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AuthornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BoysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BrownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
decidedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/

recognizable; marked

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DesertverbUS /ˈdezərt/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Etc

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

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

Pending verification
FindingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading We have not reached it yet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

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 "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "It is not the desert.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
KeynounUS /kiː/

metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MadeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MazenounUS /meɪz/

complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MontananounUS /mɑːnˈtænə/

a state in northwestern United States on the Canadian border

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "It is not the desert.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OzarksnounUS /ˈoʊzɑːrks/

an area of low mountains in northwestern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PonynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/

a range horse of the western United States

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
preferverbUS /prəˈfɜːr/

like better; value more highly

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading We have not reached it yet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RidernounUS /ˈraɪdər/

a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RockiesnounUS /ˈrɑːkiz/

the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SnounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Stacy

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

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

Pending verification
TexasnounUS /ˈteksəs/

the second largest state; located in southwestern United States on the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

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 Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading "If this is the desert, then I think I prefer mountains," decided Stacy Brown.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali Finding a Key to the Desert Maze Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, Etc., Etc.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
UnounUS /juː/

a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading Made in U. S. A.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We have not reached it yet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading We have not reached it yet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali by Frank Gee Patchin holds 189 sentences, grouped into 38 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 1 of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali contain?

Chapter 1 holds 189 sentences of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali by Frank Gee Patchin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 189 sentences, grouped into 38 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 1 of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali

Common questions about reading The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali by Frank Gee Patchin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali?

Yes. All 4014 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36423 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36423, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali take to read?

About 334 minutes of reading across 803 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali section by section

How to work through The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Rider
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Alkali
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Finding
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Desert
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.