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The Starling: A Scottish Story
The Starling: A Scottish Story

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Starling: A Scottish Story is here in full — 36 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Starling: A Scottish Story
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.
The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.
The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.
He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.
All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Starling: A Scottish Story

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Starling: A Scottish Story is here in full — 36 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.
Line 2
The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.
Line 3
The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.
Line 4
He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.
Line 5
All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

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.

buds noun US /bʌdz/

plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower

From this reading “The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.”

chirp verb US /tʃɜːrp/

make high-pitched sounds

From this reading “All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.”

exclusive adjective US /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/

not divided or shared with others

From this reading “He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.”

moisture noun US /ˈmɔɪstʃər/

wetness caused by water

From this reading “The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.”

parentage noun US /ˈperəntədʒ/

the state of being a parent

From this reading “He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.”

spasmodic adjective US /spæzˈmɔːdɪk/

affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm

From this reading “All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.”

starling noun US /ˈstɑːrlɪŋ/

gregarious birds native to the Old World

From this reading “THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.”

utterances noun US /ˈʌtərənsɪz/

plural of “utterance” — the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication

From this reading “All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.”

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.

bursting into verb + particle counted as “burst into”

In this reading “The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.”

blue heavens adjective + noun

In this reading “The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.”

hung out verb + adjective counted as “hang out”

spend time in a certain location or with certain people

In this reading “The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.”

by the winds preposition + article + noun counted as “by … wind”

In this reading “The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.”

All words in this reading · 105

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

accompaniedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌmpənid/

having companions or an escort

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/

any specific behavior

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

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 All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

bladenounUS /bleɪd/

especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

blueadjectiveUS /bluː/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

budsnounUS /bʌdz/

plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

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

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/

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

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/

actively or fully engaged or occupied

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

cagenounUS /keɪdʒ/

an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

Charlie

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

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

chirpverbUS /tʃɜːrp/

make high-pitched sounds

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

cloudsnounUS /klaʊdz/

plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

confessionnounUS /kənˈfeʃən/

an admission of misdeeds or faults

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

dewnounUS /duː/

water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

DISTURBERnoun

a troubler who interrupts or interferes with peace and quiet; someone who causes disorder and commotion

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

enjoyverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪ/

derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

evidencing

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

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

exclusiveadjectiveUS /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/

not divided or shared with others

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

flashingnounUS /ˈflæʃɪŋ/

a short vivid experience

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

flowernounUS /ˈflaʊər/

a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

fruitnounUS /fruːt/

the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

glitteringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪtərɪŋ/

having brief brilliant points or flashes of light

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

grassverbUS /ɡræs/

shoot down, of birds

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

guidedadjectiveUS /ˈɡaɪdəd/

subject to guidance or control especially after launching

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

heavensnounUS /ˈhevənz/

the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

hesitatingadjectiveUS /ˈhezəteɪtɪŋ/

lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

humanitynounUS /hjuːˈmænɪti/

the quality of being humane

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

hungverbUS /hʌŋ/

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

indifferencenounUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfərəns/

unbiased impartial unconcern

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

jerkverbUS /dʒɜːrk/

pull, or move with a sudden movement

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

jubilateverb

celebrate a jubilee

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

kingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

ladenadjectiveUS /ˈleɪdən/

filled with a great quantity

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

leavesnounUS /liːvz/

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

livelyadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪvli/

full of life and energy

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/

wetness caused by water

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

movingadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

in motion

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

nestsnounUS /nests/

plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

parentagenounUS /ˈperəntədʒ/

the state of being a parent

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

pausedverbUS /pɔːzd/

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

PEACEnounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

SergeantnounUS /ˈsɑːrdʒənt/

any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

signsnounUS /saɪnz/

plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

singingnounUS /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/

the act of singing vocal music

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

spasmodicadjectiveUS /spæzˈmɔːdɪk/

affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

STARLINGnounUS /ˈstɑːrlɪŋ/

gregarious birds native to the Old World

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

streamsnounUS /striːmz/

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

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

sunlightnounUS /ˈsʌnlaɪt/

the rays of the sun

From this reading The Sergeant hung out Charlie in his cage to enjoy the air and sunlight.

testimonynounUS /ˈtestəmoʊni/

a solemn statement made under oath

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

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 The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

utterancesnounUS /ˈʌtərənsɪz/

plural of “utterance” — the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication

From this reading All his utterances were accompanied by a spasmodic chirp and jerk, evidencing a great indifference to humanity.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE STARLING A DISTURBER OF THE PEACE It was a beautiful Sunday morning in spring.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He had not of late been so lively as usual; his confession as to his parentage was more hesitating; and when giving his testimony as to a man being a man, or as to the exclusive right of Charlie to be king, he often paused as if in doubt.

windsnounUS /wɪndz/

plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading The dew was glittering on every blade of grass; the trees were bursting into buds for coming leaves, or into flower for coming fruit; the birds were "busy in the wood" building their nests, and singing jubilate; the streams were flashing to the sea; the clouds, moisture laden, were moving across the blue heavens, guided by the winds; and signs of life, activity, and joy filled the earth and sky.

Chapter 4 of The Starling: A Scottish Story by Norman Macleod holds 36 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 4 of The Starling: A Scottish Story contain?

Chapter 4 holds 36 sentences of The Starling: A Scottish Story, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Starling: A Scottish Story by Norman Macleod exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 36 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 4 of The Starling: A Scottish Story?

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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Starling: A Scottish Story

Common questions about reading The Starling: A Scottish Story by Norman Macleod on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Starling: A Scottish Story?

Yes. All 3001 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #41989 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Starling: A Scottish Story is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #41989, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Starling: A Scottish Story take to read?

About 250 minutes of reading across 601 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Starling: A Scottish Story section by section

How to work through The Starling: A Scottish Story section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of The Starling: A Scottish Story 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 Starling: A Scottish Story

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Starling: A Scottish Story, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Starling: A Scottish Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reminiscences
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Starling: A Scottish Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Highland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Starling: A Scottish Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Parish
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Starling: A Scottish Story; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.