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The Prairie Schooner
The Prairie Schooner

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of The Prairie Schooner is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Prairie Schooner
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.
Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.
One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.
No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.
The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.
0:00 / 0:00
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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 Prairie Schooner

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of The Prairie Schooner is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.
Line 2
Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.
Line 3
One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.
Line 4
No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.
/noʊ æks hæd ˈevər dezəˈkreɪtɪd ðɪs ˈbjuːtəfəl ˈfɔːrəst/
Line 5
The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.
/ðə trɪp wɑːz fɔːr ðə ˈpɜːrpəs ʌv ˈkʌtɪŋ sʌm ʌv ðiːz poʊlz ənd ˈbɪldɪŋ waɪl ɑːn ðə ˈmaʊntən tuː ˈdʌzən heɪ ræks əˈpɑːn wɪtʃ wɑːz tuː biː hɔːld tuː æn ˈɑːrmi poʊst ðə ˈkɑːntrækt heɪ kʌt ɪn ðə waɪld ˈmedoʊz/

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.

aspen noun US /ˈæspən/

any of several trees of the genus Populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind

From this reading “One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.”

bullock noun US /ˈbʊlək/

young bull

From this reading “A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.”

desecrated adjective US /dezəˈkreɪtɪd/

treated with disrespect and contempt

From this reading “No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.”

gears noun US /ɡɪrz/

plural of “gear” — a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion

From this reading “One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.”

Laramie noun US /ˈlerəmi/

a university town in southeast Wyoming

From this reading “One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.”

nativity noun US /nəˈtɪvəti/

the event of being born

From this reading “Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.”

parks noun US /pɑːrks/

United States civil rights leader who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery (Alabama) and so triggered the national Civil Rights movement (born in 1913)

From this reading “One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.”

racks noun US /ræks/

plural of “rack” — framework for holding objects

From this reading “The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.”

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.

perfectly sane adverb + adjective

In this reading “Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.”

pine trees noun + noun counted as “pine tree”

a coniferous tree

In this reading “One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.”

good qualities adjective + noun counted as “good quality”

In this reading “Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.”

for the purpose preposition + article + noun counted as “for … purpose”

In this reading “The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.”

along the streams preposition + article + noun counted as “along … stream”

In this reading “One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.”

two dozen noun + noun

the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-three and one

In this reading “The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.”

name of verb + particle

In this reading “Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.”

on the mountain preposition + article + noun counted as “on … mountain”

In this reading “The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.”

All words in this reading · 104

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 A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

armynounUS /ˈɑːrmi/

a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

aspennounUS /ˈæspən/

any of several trees of the genus Populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

attachedadjectiveUS /əˈtætʃt/

being joined in close association

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

axnounUS /æks/

an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

bullnounUS /bʊl/

uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

BULLOCKnounUS /ˈbʊlək/

young bull

From this reading A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

contractverbUS /ˈkɑːntrækt/

enter into a contractual arrangement

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

CreeknounUS /kriːk/

a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/

the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

desecratedadjectiveUS /dezəˈkreɪtɪd/

treated with disrespect and contempt

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

forestnounUS /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

gearsnounUS /ɡɪrz/

plural of “gear” — a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

hauledverbUS /hɔːld/

past form of “haul” — draw slowly or heavily

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

haynounUS /heɪ/

grass mowed and cured for use as fodder

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

honestadjectiveUS /ˈɑːnəst/

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

HorsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

joinedadjectiveUS /dʒɔɪnd/

of or relating to two people who are married to each other

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

JOKEnounUS /dʒoʊk/

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

JunenounUS /dʒuːn/

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

KICKverbUS /kɪk/

drive or propel with the foot

From this reading A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

LaramienounUS /ˈlerəmi/

a university town in southeast Wyoming

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

McDonald

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

mountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/

completely unclothed

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

nativitynounUS /nəˈtɪvəti/

the event of being born

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

NearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

outfitnounUS /ˈaʊtfɪt/

any cohesive unit such as a military company

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

ownedadjectiveUS /oʊnd/

having an owner; often used in combination

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

parksnounUS /pɑːrks/

United States civil rights leader who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery (Alabama) and so triggered the national Civil Rights movement (born in 1913)

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

PeaknounUS /piːk/

the most extreme possible amount or value

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

perfectlyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrfəktli/

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

pinenounUS /paɪn/

a coniferous tree

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

pioneernounUS /ˌpaɪəˈnɪr/

someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

PLAYFULadjectiveUS /ˈpleɪfəl/

full of fun and high spirits

From this reading A KICK FROM A PLAYFUL BULLOCK--AND A JOKE.

polesnounUS /poʊlz/

plural of “pole” — a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

postverbUS /poʊst/

affix in a public place or for public notice

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

qualitiesnounUS /ˈkwɑːlətiz/

plural of “quality” — an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

racksnounUS /ræks/

plural of “rack” — framework for holding objects

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

ranchman

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

religiousadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

saneadjectiveUS /seɪn/

mentally healthy; free from mental disorder

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

Scotchmannoun

a native or inhabitant of Scotland

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

sidehills

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

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

straightest

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

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

streamsnounUS /striːmz/

plural of “stream” — a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

teamnounUS /tiːm/

a cooperative unit (especially in sports)

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

territorynounUS /ˈterɪtɔːri/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Near Horse Creek lived a ranchman of the name of McDonald, a pioneer, and I believe a religious and perfectly sane and honest Scotchman, although I am not sure of his nativity; however, he had all the good qualities of that race.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading No ax had ever desecrated this beautiful forest.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

tripnounUS /trɪp/

a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

virginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

wagonsnounUS /ˈwæɡənz/

plural of “wagon” — any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading One June morning I joined a bull outfit owned by him and drove a team attached to the naked gears of two wagons into the virgin parks on Laramie Peak, along the streams and upon the sidehills of which grew the straightest aspen and small pine trees in all the territory.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading The trip was for the purpose of cutting some of these poles and building, while on the mountain, two dozen hay racks upon which was to be hauled to an army post the contract hay cut in the wild meadows.

Chapter 14 of The Prairie Schooner by William Francis Hooker holds 39 sentences, grouped into 8 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 14 of The Prairie Schooner contain?

Chapter 14 holds 39 sentences of The Prairie Schooner, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Prairie Schooner by William Francis Hooker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 39 sentences, grouped into 8 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 14 of The Prairie Schooner?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Prairie Schooner

Common questions about reading The Prairie Schooner by William Francis Hooker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Prairie Schooner?

Yes. All 929 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40497 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Prairie Schooner is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40497, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Prairie Schooner take to read?

About 77 minutes of reading across 186 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Prairie Schooner section by section

How to work through The Prairie Schooner section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Prairie Schooner 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 Prairie Schooner

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Prairie Schooner, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Union
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prairie Schooner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pacific
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prairie Schooner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Railroad
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prairie Schooner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Completed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Prairie Schooner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.