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The Sky Line of Spruce
The Sky Line of Spruce

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Sky Line of Spruce is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Sky Line of Spruce
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.
I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.
I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.
And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.
You'll find that isn't your line at all."
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 Sky Line of Spruce

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Sky Line of Spruce is here in full — 423 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.
Line 2
I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.
Line 3
I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.
Line 4
And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.
Line 5
You'll find that isn't your line at all."

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.

born adjective US /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading “And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.”

fail verb US /feɪl/

fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading “I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.”

folks noun US /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading “I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.”

heel noun US /hiːl/

the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading “I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.”

line noun US /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading “You'll find that isn't your line at all."”

responsible adjective US /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/

worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable

From this reading “I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.”

Seattle noun US /siˈætəl/

a major port of entry and the largest city in Washington

From this reading “And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.”

succeed verb US /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading “I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

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 You'll find that isn't your line at all."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading You'll find that isn't your line at all."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

bein

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

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

can't

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

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

failverbUS /feɪl/

fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading You'll find that isn't your line at all."

folksnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

gangman

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

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

goin

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

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

heelnounUS /hiːl/

the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

I'll

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

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

I'm

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

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

isn't

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

From this reading You'll find that isn't your line at all."

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading You'll find that isn't your line at all."

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/

worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

SeattlenounUS /siˈætəl/

a major port of entry and the largest city in Washington

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading I'm sort of responsible for you, bein' your folks are dead.

succeedverbUS /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You'll find that isn't your line at all."

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

wasn't

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

From this reading And I'll say right here you wasn't born to be no gangman in a big city like Seattle.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

what's

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

From this reading I know you from head to heel, and I think I know what's good for you, what you can do and what you can't do and where you succeed and where you fail.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

You'll

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

From this reading You'll find that isn't your line at all."

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "The reason I'm goin' to take you where I'm goin' to take you is for your own good.

Chapter 2 of The Sky Line of Spruce by Edison Marshall holds 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 Sky Line of Spruce contain?

Chapter 2 holds 423 sentences of The Sky Line of Spruce, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Sky Line of Spruce by Edison Marshall exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 423 sentences, grouped into 85 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 Sky Line of Spruce?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 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 Sky Line of Spruce

Common questions about reading The Sky Line of Spruce by Edison Marshall on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Sky Line of Spruce?

Yes. All 5502 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11402 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Sky Line of Spruce is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11402, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Sky Line of Spruce take to read?

About 458 minutes of reading across 1101 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Sky Line of Spruce section by section

How to work through The Sky Line of Spruce section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of The Sky Line of Spruce 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 Sky Line of Spruce

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Sky Line of Spruce, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Voice
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sky Line of Spruce; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Strength
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sky Line of Spruce; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pines
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sky Line of Spruce; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Snowshoe
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sky Line of Spruce; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.