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The Road Builders
The Road Builders

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Road Builders is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Samuel Merwin • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Road Builders
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.
& W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”
But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”
Shaky the “S.
& W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.
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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 Road Builders

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Road Builders 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
WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.
Line 2
& W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”
/ˈdʌbəljuː ment ˈʃɜːrmən ənd ˈwestərn/
Line 3
But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”
/bʌt ˈevəri wʌn huː lɪvd wɪˈðɪn tuː deɪz raɪd ʌv ðə træk nuː ðæt ðə riːl neɪm ʌv ðə roʊd wɑːz ðə ˈʃeɪki ənd ˈwɪndi/
Line 4
Shaky the “S.
/ˈʃeɪki ðə es/
Line 5
& W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

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.

financially adverb US /fəˈnænʃəli/

from a financial point of view

From this reading “& W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gossip noun US /ˈɡɑːsəp/

light informal conversation for social occasions

From this reading “& W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
narrative noun US /ˈnærətɪv/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading “WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
physically adverb US /ˈfɪzɪkəli/

in accord with physical laws

From this reading “& W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Shaky adjective US /ˈʃeɪki/

inclined to shake as from weakness or defect

From this reading “But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Sherman noun US /ˈʃɜːrmən/

United States general who was commander of all Union troops in the West; he captured Atlanta and led a destructive march to the sea that cut the Confederacy in two (1820-1891)

From this reading “& W.” meant “Sherman and Western.””

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
trusted adjective US /ˈtrʌstɪd/

(of persons) worthy of trust or confidence

From this reading “& W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Windy adjective US /ˈwɪndi/

abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes

From this reading “But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.””

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.

thirty years noun + noun

In this reading “WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.”

9,905 times in 426,211 chapters
some thirty adjective + noun

In this reading “WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.”

2,091 times in 426,211 chapters
within two preposition + noun

In this reading “But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.””

3,369 times in 426,211 chapters
CAME FROM verb + particle counted as “come from”

In this reading “WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.”

89,230 times in 426,211 chapters
at the time preposition + article + noun counted as “at … time”

simultaneously

In this reading “WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.”

57,842 times in 426,211 chapters
name of verb + particle

In this reading “But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.””

77,320 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 63

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 WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading & W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
apparentadjectiveUS /əˈperənt/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

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 WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CAMEverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DoubtlessadverbUS /ˈdaʊtləs/

without doubt; certainly

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
factsnounUS /fækts/

plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
financiallyadverbUS /fəˈnænʃəli/

from a financial point of view

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/

light informal conversation for social occasions

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

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

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
insistedverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstəd/

past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
livedverbUS /lɪvd/

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

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
meantverbUS /ment/

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading & W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MONEYnounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
narrativenounUS /ˈnærətɪv/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
newspapernounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpər/

a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
officialadjectiveUS /əˈfɪʃəl/

having official authority or sanction

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
physicallyadverbUS /ˈfɪzɪkəli/

in accord with physical laws

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rideverbUS /raɪd/

sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

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 WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ShakyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪki/

inclined to shake as from weakness or defect

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ShermannounUS /ˈʃɜːrmən/

United States general who was commander of all Union troops in the West; he captured Atlanta and led a destructive march to the sea that cut the Confederacy in two (1820-1891)

From this reading & W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

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 WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thirtynounUS /ˈθɜːrdiː/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

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 WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tracknounUS /træk/

a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
trustedadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstɪd/

(of persons) worthy of trust or confidence

From this reading & W.” certainly was--physically, and, if newspaper gossip and apparent facts were to be trusted, financially.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WnounUS /ˈdʌbəljuː/

a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite

From this reading & W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”

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 But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WesternadjectiveUS /ˈwestərn/

relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts

From this reading & W.” meant “Sherman and Western.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WHEREconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WindyadjectiveUS /ˈwɪndi/

abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading But every one who lived within two days’ ride of the track knew that the real name of the road was the “Shaky and Windy.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM Doubtless there were official persons to be found at the time of this narrative--which is a matter of some thirty years back--who would have insisted that the letters “S.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 2 of The Road Builders by Samuel Merwin 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 2 of The Road Builders contain?

Chapter 2 holds 142 sentences of The Road Builders, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Road Builders by Samuel Merwin 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 2 of The Road Builders?

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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Road Builders

Common questions about reading The Road Builders by Samuel Merwin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Road Builders?

Yes. All 3747 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #41825 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Road Builders is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #41825, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Road Builders take to read?

About 312 minutes of reading across 750 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Road Builders section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of The Road Builders 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 Road Builders

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

Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road Builders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Engages
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road Builders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hoping
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road Builders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Build
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Road Builders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.